Pacific Rural Press, Volume 101, Number 13, 26 March 1921 — Here and There in the Fruit Business [SECTION]

Here and There in the Fruit Business

Fruit Contract Decision Tital. Fruit growers and fruit corporations are greatly interested in the verdict returned by Judge J. R. Welch in the Superior Court of Santa Clara county in the suit brought by Abram Rosenberg, representing . Rosenberg Bros., against P. Prudhome. In the suit Rosenberg asked for the difference between a 10, *& and a 14-cent basic price on a prune contract, amounting to a total of $1,650. The verdict was In favor of the defendant, the Judge holding that a contract to sell a growing crop of fruit is simply an agreement to sell, and that the grower does not have to deliver. During the trial of the case it was brought out that Rosenberg Bros, signed a contract with Joseph Manfre for his 1919 crop of prunes, amounting to 25 tons. After signing the contract Manfre sold his ranch and crop to Prudhome, who refused to deliver the prunes under the contract Manfre had signed. In deciding the case Judge Welch declared that a growing crop is personal property, and may be sold as such, going with land when that is sold unless it is reserved by the seller of the property.

Raisin Growers Continue Drive.

That success shall crown the efforts of the California Associated Raisin Company in its campaign to sign the raisin grape growers of the state and thus avoid the difficult, situation which would arise if the association were to fail, is the avowed determination of a large number of the large growers. More than 75 American growers met last week and outlined plans to carry on an extensive drive to the end of the campaign period, April 2. Secretary C. A. Murdoch says of the campaign situation; "Realizing that the time is growing short in which to get all growers to sign, at this meeting it was decided to continue work and a determination to succeed was manifested by all the growers present. The Armenian committee has been working hard and has encountered great difficulty; but more recently has met with fair success. A special effort is now being made to secure the signatures of the outside Italian growers. So far the growers of that nationality have been slow to sign. The same conditions are true of the German and Russian growers located in the rural districts."

Two Cents an Orange Freight In figuring out the freight rate on a box of oranges to Chicago we find that a box containing 80 oranges places a rate of 2 cents freight per orange. This statement was made by W. D. Tidwell, secretary of the Western Fruit Jobbers' Association, at a meeting of the organization held last week at Chicago. In reporting the result of his conferences with the Interstate Commerce Commission,' Mr. Tidwell stated: "The Commission grants that present freight rates are excessive and a burden on the producer, shipper and consumer, but the transportation, act as passed by Congress compels the commission to establish a rate that will yield a return of 5% per cent to the railroads." It is our intention to give the freight rate situation an airing at a later date. Halt.Million Grape Vines Being Rooted in Yuba. No less than 500,000 grape cuttings, a number sufficient to plant 1,000 acres of vineyard, are now being rooted in Yuba county for planting this fall. County Horticultural Commissioner George , Harvey made this report after checking up an inspection last week. This checking up was done to make sure thaNfc infested cuttings had come into the county. The larger plantings will be done by Ewell and Ellis, who are rooting 100,000 cuttings in the Yuba River Farms Tract, and the Horst Company is rooting 200,000 cuttings on its Bear river ranch and has half that number already rooted. The majority of all cuttings are of the Thompson seedless variety.

Order Changed on Cannery Wages. Recession \ from its , previous order that two-thirds of all cannery workers employed on the piece-work plan shall receive at least 33 cents an hour is announced by the Industrial Welfare Commission following j another conference with the Canners' League representing all the important firms north of Tehachapi.) The new order is that amounts to a 'reduction in wages. It applies directly to about 1500 now engaged in the asparagus canning trade, but is generally accepted as a precedent by which other canneries will be regulated by the commission. There are 30,000 cannery workers subjected to rulings which may effect the league. What a **I,ndain* .'•?, for Charlie Chaplin. The world's largest raisin pie has been made by the California Associated Raisin Co. for exhibit purposes. The immense pie weighs 158 pounds, and v 75 . pounds of Sun Maid raisins were used in r its composition. It is 50 inches in diameter. The value of the pie is placed. at $150. It is being shown throughout the state of California in connection \ with the raisin company's s drive for ' membership. .