TWENTY-EIGHTH FRUIT- GROWERS' CONVENTION. 



127 



petition among the jobbers will become stronger because of increased 

 trade from the small dealers. 



Foreign Markets. — Much can be done in aid of the good cause by- 

 developing foreign markets. Canada is a market susceptible of a steady 

 increase. Germany offers a splendid field for exploitation, or it would 

 were it not for the danger which results from the chronic agitation of the 

 agrarians. Central Europe affords a market for some of California's 

 surplus, particularly when it is remembered that there is no lack of 

 people who know a good thing when they see it and have the means to 

 purchase it. The United Kingdom is an enormous consumer of fruit 

 and fruit products whenever the opportunity presents itself. 



Most cured fruits are produced at the ratio of five or six pounds of 

 fresh to one of cured. Others are produced at as low a ratio as two or 

 two and a half pounds of fresh to one of cured. A fair average for the 

 grand total, it is thought, when the waste is taken into consideration, 

 would be, say four pounds of fresh to one of cured. This means that 

 the grand total of cured fruits, cured prunes, and raisins finds in the 

 fresh ^article an equivalent of 798,040 tons, or nearly eight times more 

 than the shipments of fresh deciduous fruits amounted , to in the same 

 year. Generally speaking, it may be said that greater care must be 

 given the curing process, as too much poor fruit is allowed to leave the 

 drying-grounds; the matter of over-sulphuring should be avoided. 



Our packages are adapted to the class of trade which is catered to, 

 and no radical change need be suggested at this time. The packing 

 should be more carefully done, however. Complaints are altogether too 

 irequent of irregular, not to say, dishonest packing. A uniform pack 

 tends to enlarge trade, always. 



The Matter of Retail Prices. — Let it be said here, that we believe every 

 one to be worthy of his hire; and second, on general principles, we 

 believe it to be the best for all interests, that as many be given a chance 

 to make a living as is possible, within reason. Should every producer 

 «ell direct to the consumer, a vast army of people would be deprived of 

 .a means of making a living and they would gravitate down into the 

 ranks of the unemployed, and if not a menace would be a burden on 

 the community, and thus lower the purchasing power of the entire 

 country. 



We have purchased at retail in a San Francisco market fresh apples 

 at the rate of $250 a ton. What did the grower receive? Every one is 

 familiar with instances similar in character. So with cured fruits. 

 What relation does the price received by the grower bear to the price 

 which the consumer pays? It was in an effort to accurately answer 

 this question that a Vacaville orchardist asked a relative, who was 

 about to come to the Coast from London, to bring along with her samples 



