San Francisco Call, Volume 70, Number 117, 26 September 1891 — TOO MUCH FRUIT. [ARTICLE]

TOO MUCH FRUIT.

A Discussion of tln> Sabject by

Horticulturists.

The State Horticultural Society met yesterday at its rooms at 220 Suiter s-tre.t. Vice-President Stabler presided in the absence ot Presideut Hileard. There wns a full attendance.

Officers for tlie society for tbe ensuing year were nominated, to b« elo ted at the next monthly meeting. Tho nominations were ns follows: For President, Leonard Coates, Professor Hllgard and Key. A. T. Perkins; for Vice-President, Messrs. Bancroft, Maslin »ad Stabler; fer Secretary and Treasurer, Wiekson and Perkins were renoniinatod.

An nil day mpeting or reunion nf tho pioneer horticulturists of the State is proposed for the near future. Messrs. Coates, Smith and Wiekson, the coiumittt'e liavine the matter ii; eharsa, will report at the December nmctinc details for the proposed reunion. Its object will be to clear up and compile the early history of horticultural societies of the Stat-. The work of tho infletiiig will be of great historical value, arid Johu Bidwull will probably be a>ked to

side. Mr. Coates had ■ flue display of Eastern table-grapes at the meeting. It led to a discussion that showed a brisk demand for these grapes iv tbe local market. It. J. Pi yal exhibited two Reedliiig pears that wore named the Prval No. 1 and the Prval Nn. 2. C. M. Pin of Oikland and Mr. Bancrolt briefly addressed tlm meeting on the viilii'< of book-keeping to farmers and said that it ci uld be learned in one hour. Emory E. Smith read a paper on th« wild .strawberries of California, and said with cultivation they could be made a source of great profit. The wild fruit is of a very choice and sweet llavnr. Discussion developed that th wild berries are always the best, and surprise was uiiinifeited timt they are not more largely cultivate!. Mr. Black wood made an interesting address on the subject of "Surplus of Fruit." 11h r.rgued that the greatest mistake th.it people here or elsewhere maka is that they twiieve they have the world for a market. On that theory everybody is rushing into tiie fruit-growing business. lie could not believe that land is worth SIM and $500 in acre lor fruit any mum thiui it is worth that much for wheat. Land is worth just its rental value. He ventured the pruphecv that the tune is not far distant when orchards in this State would be dug up. Ha cited instances where thousandi and thousands of bushels of pears and other fruits are rotting on the ground this v*;ar. lie closed witu Uih sHreastic exhortation : "But go ahead and jil-.mt fruit; you've got tliu world for a market." Leonard Coatesoi Napft, in reply, thought that over-production is a chestnut, and tint the subject itscl; is a chestuat. Everybody in tbe business is Baking money. There are U" mor« prosperous communities in the State than those where fruit-raising i.% the principal industry. Disappointments are chiefly among those who in vested $10,000 ur 820,000 and expected to realize a pi (i tit. of $SUOO a year. E\c;i witii the present glutted state of the nmiket, many piuiii orchards are realizing $100 an acre, and lie thought that should satisfy nny one. In the mutter of big pears and peachea, which many growers are striving after, he was glad that these monstrosities are seen only at the State Board of Trade ruoiiM in glass jnr«. Several other members ol the society engaged in a pro and con discus-ion on the matter, and it whs asserted amnng ctlttr things that England c uld consume all tke pears this country could send them for uianv years. The fruit must beshipued green and ripen ill transit. It was held, too, that a inau ci uld become rich raising French prunes aud selling them dried itl 5 cents a ponnd. Potatoes also crept into tho discussion to some extent, when J.imes Shinn of Nlles asserted that Congress s!iou!d not gobble up the railroads, but rather appoint a buard to control the traffic rate.

Professor Allan of San Jo<e, in reply to Mr. Blackwood, said tbatil therelsilangerof over-production, then the consumption must bs Incre ised. Prunes at r> cents a pound >m universally more nutritious and cheaper than beef at l-<, eeiits a I'ouud. Ho cited an instance in Lake County where at so low a price M so' a ton for dried apoles an orchard waa made to pay 800 an acre. Times tor high prices had gone, be thought, aud the producers mu3t accommodate themselves to lower pticoH. Dr. Kimball saM that the high prices of land militate against thn really sneccssful cultivation of fruits in this Sl.ite. as asralnst lands in Georgia aud other equally favoraii c fruit-growing localities. Were lie 1 young man, he would not stay in California auothPr day. James s:iinn of Xiles exhibited the fruit of the akebia quiuatn, a very rare specimen. The fruit looks like a big rgg, split Open and nestling Inside nn elonga eil substance, of a mottled greenish rolor, not unlike a eatcrolllar In appearance. The fruit rarely forms, though the. vine is a common porch-climber. The heart of the fruit, which contains the seed, is edihle, but the rind, or snell, a thick, pulpy skin, is Injurious. _