A Picture of the Fruit and Vegetable Industry BY CHARLES J. BRAND MARKETING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 Confidential Edition Issued for Members HH fcfefe Copyright, 1922 The American Institute of Agriculture H Wk'&M CHICAGO A PICTURE OF THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INDUSTRY BY CHARLES J. BRAND Formerly Vice-President and General Manager of the American Fruit Growers, Incorporated MARKETING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 Every Lesson by a National Authority' ' Confidential Edition Issued for Members ♦ * » Copyright, 1922 THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE CHICAGO ©C1A77220S DEC 15 1923 a THE MAN WHO CONDUCTS THIS LESSON CHARLES J. BRAND There are few men who understand the fruit and vegetable industry from the combined viewpoint of the practical business man and the student as thoroughly as Mr. Brand. Mr. Brand was chosen as the first chief of the Federal Bureau of Markets when it was established in 1913, and he guided that organization through the first stages of its work, until 1918. When he became general manager of the American Fruit Growers, Inc., the Bureau had become one of the most helpful in the Department of Agriculture. Some of his most constructive work was done in connection with the fruit and vegetable industry, and Mr, Brand came into close touch with all of the leaders in the field. In recognition of Mr. Brand's familiarity with the fruit industry of the nation, he was appointed vice-president and general manager of the national sales organization known as American Fruit Growers 1 Inc. This organization, with its own orchard and truck acreages in all sections of the country, in- FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 eluding all of the major fruit and vegetable crops, needed a man as manager who knew not one crop or one section, but who understood the industry in all of its interrelations and from a national viewpoint. Mr. Brand's combined experience as a government official and as a major executive in one of the largest marketing organizations in the country, fits him to write on the subject of this lesson as few men are qualified to do. HOW TO STUDY THIS LESSON There are 29 principal fruits and vegetables, and each one has certain pecularities of its own and special marketing methods have been developed be- cause of these peculiarities. Most fruits and vegetables are produced during a very short season. They are highly perishable, and so must be handled promptly and with great care. These difficulties make the marketing of fruits and vegetables much more interesting, and any man who likes to do hard things finds in the marketing of fruits and vegetables unusual delight, because there is always extreme satisfaction in accomplish- ing anything that has uncommon complications. Treatment Carefully Systematized The complexity of the marketing machinery for fruits and vegetables is systematized and clarified in the lessons you are to have from now on. And it is not likely that any student will feel that mar- keting fruits and vegetables is any more difficult than marketing other products after he has mastered a few of the first lessons in this course. The principal variation from studying the mar- keting of other products is illustrated in this lesson. The difference is that the products must be studied separately, and in this lesson, which is un- usually long, you will find that the text has been divided into two principal parts, with 14 sections. This division makes it easy to study and easy to comprehend. In order to help you in your study, this lesson has been divided into five assignments, each one of which must be studied separately and must be mastered before you pass on to the next assignment. These five assignments are as follows: A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY ASSIGNMENTS 1. Master Part I, Sections 1 and 2 — The Industry As a Whole — and the Apple Crop. 2. Master Part 1, Sections 3, 4, 5, and 6 — Citrus Fruits, Grapes, Peaches, and Strawberries. 3. Master Part II, Sections 1 and 2 — The Vege- table Crops — Potatoes. 4. Master Part II, Sections 3, 4, and 5 — Toma- toes, Onions, and Cabbage. 5. Master Part II, Sections 6, 7, and 8 — Melons, Future Development, Publicity. Know the Industry as a Whole The two parts of the lesson divide the study of fruits from the study of vegetables. And in Sec- tion 1 of Part I, you are given a good idea of the industry as a whole, including both fruits and vege- tables. It is extremely important that you master Section 1 thoroughly. While you are not expected to memorize Table I, it is an important table for you to study. There you get a concise idea of the comparative importance of the different fruit and vegetable crops. You certainly ought to remember the standing of the first five crops, and it would be still better if you would remember the standing of the first 10. Remember, however, that this table is based on the number of carloads, rather than on the value in dollars. There would be a little difference in the order if value were given instead of carloads. For example, bulky watermelons could not retain their position if the rank were based on value instead of on carloads. Figure 1 will help you to familiarize yourself with the fruit-growing territories. When you study this map, together with the reading matter in the lesson that describes it, you will have a much better idea of the real fruit territory. The high special- ization so common in American agriculture is par- ticularly emphasized in the production of fruits. California is the one big state in the produc- tion of both fruits and vegetables, and it has such a big lead over other states that it is likely to remain the leader for some time. How to Study Statistics Keep in mind always in studying statistics, that conditions change constantly and where the rank of two states is rather close, that rank is FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 likely to change, even from year to year. It is im- portant, however, to have the principal fruit-grow- ing states in mind, especially the first 10. In studying both Table I and Table II, you will find paper and pencil most helpful. One of the best ways to realize the importance of figures contained in tables and to get these figures firmly fixed in your mind, is to copy the table onto another sheet of paper, arranging it in a little different way, if possible. The copying of the figures fixes the situation in your mind much better than simply reading them. As an example of the way of arranging the tables differently, let us consider Table II. You might make a row of columns along the top of a sheet of paper, containing the names of the fruits instead of the years, placing the years along the left-hand side. If you do this, you will have emphasized to you that the order of rank of the different fruits is different for the different years. For ex- ample, oranges and peaches will change places for the years 1919 and 1920. The rank in Table II is based on the 1921 value. Another way to vary the table is to enter only the figures indicating thousands of dollars. In other words, omit the last three numerals. Still another way is to enter the figures in millions of dollars; instead of writing $241,574,000, you might enter 242. It is easier to compare 242 with 83, 95 and other figures, than it is to compare the total numbers. It has been felt important, however, in some cases to give complete numbers so you might have them for reference. Don't Divide Yo ur Attention It is suggested in your assignments, that you consider Section 2 on the apple crop, together with Section 1, which covers the industry as a whole. However, this does not mean that you are to study the two sections together. It is better to master Section 1 first, and then consider Section 2 by it- self, remembering, however, what you learned in Section 1. In Section 2, concentrate your mind on apples, and when you feel that you have mastered that subject, then answer the questions that are pro- vided for assignment 1. A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY After answering these questions, you will, of course, proceed to assignment 2. And your method of study there will be similar to that used in complet- ing assignment 1. The principal point to remember is to concentrate your mind on the citrus crop until you have thorughly mastered what is given on that subject. You will, of course, refer to the discus- sion of the apple crop and make certain comparisons. But imagine yourself, if you can, a grower of oranges, and study Section 3 from the standpoint of an orange grower. The same suggestion applies to Section 4; that is, imagine yourself a grower of grapes. Having mastered Sections 3 and 4, then study Section 5 from the viewpoint of a peach grower. Your Foundation Knowledge is Here Do not be confused by the fact that not all of the methods used in marketing these individual crops are discussed in these various sections. It would be impossible to give a complete discussion all in one lesson. The rest of the lessons in this course will complete your knowledge, because the individual crops will be referred to frequently as you proceed. The method of following assignment 3 is very similar to that suggested for assignment 1. You must first have your general information on the vegetable crop as a whole. And then you must con- centrate your mind on one crop at a time, until you have mastered that. The potato crop, being the largest and so the most important of all vegetable crops, is given more space than is devoted to others. This should be significant to you and should en- courage you to be sure that you have thoroughly mastered this section before going farther. The questions, of course, are to be answered for each assignment before you proceed to the next one. You May Get New Conceptions The principal suggestion that will help you in studying assignment 4, is that the tomato crop is far more important than most folks realize. Pos- sibly because of its extreme perishability, the tomato has been considered by those who are not familiar with its marketing, to be a comparatively small crop. But in this lesson you will learn dif- ferently. And as you proceed with other lessons, 8 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 you will realize the unusual importance of the tomato crop even more. The marketing of onions and cabbage has a cer- tain similarity. In many cases, the same market men handle both crops. It is quite common that where cabbage is grown, onions are grown also, and the same storehouse is often used for both cabbage and onions. This applies, of course, to the late varie- ties which are stored for winter use. After answering the questions for assignment 4, proceed to assignment 5, and concentrate your mind first on the melon crop. You may be surprised at the immense size of the watermelon crop. Most folks have realized the growing popularity of canta- loupes, but not so many, perhaps, have understood that the watermelon crop is also large and popular. Sections 7 and 8, of course, apply to all fruits and vegetables, and you should study these sections with the same interest that you studied Section 1 in Part I. Because of the fact that conditions are constantly changing and market methods are varied from week to week, it is important that you know what the future is likely to be and what it is that is likely to influence the change of methods. While it is not expected that you will spend five weeks on these five assignments, it is urged that you hold yourself back and not be too eager to finish these five assignments because they are all in one lesson. You should spend at least two weeks (or 12 hours) in a study of this lesson. A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY STUDY OUTLINE Page Part 1. Section 1. The Industry As a Whole 11 Why Part of the Crop Is Not Marketed 12 The Extent of the Commercial Industry 12 Wide Variety Grown Commercially 13 Irish Potatoes Far in the Lead 13 Wide Fluctuation in Production 14 Production Areas and Values 15 Classification of Fruits 15 The Leading Fruit States 15 Where California Excels 16 The Important Fruits 17 Section 2. The Apple Crop 19 Decrease in Number of Apple Trees 19 Where Apples Are Produced 20 Important Eastern Districts 20 Effect of Freight Rates on Production 20 Why the Reduction in Trees Occurred 21 Production Per Tree Is Increasing 21 Section 3. The Citrus Crop 21 Where Citrus Fruits Are Grown 22 How California Markets Oranges 22 Quant ity and Value 23 Section 4. The Grape Crop 24 Tonnage of Fresh Grapes Shipped 25 Section 5. The Peach Crop 26 Decrease in Acreage . . . . 26 Fluctuation in Crop Production 27 Car-lot Shipments by States 27 Section 6. Where Strawberries are Grown 28 Part II. Section 1. Production Areas and Values of Vegetables 30 The Leading Vegetable Crops 33 Section 2. The Potato Crop 35 Where Early Potatoes Are Grown 35 Where Late Potatoes Are Grown 36 10 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 Where Shipments Originate 37 Distribution of Shipments by Months 39 Imports and Exports 39 The Sweet Potato Crop 40 Production Areas 40 Value of Crop 40 Storage Facilities 40 Commercial Varieties 41 Section 3. The Tomato Cro p 41 Where Imported Tomatoes Come From 42 Section 4. The Onion Crop 44 How Storage Affects the Onion Market 44 Where Early Onions Are Grown 45 Market Distribution 46 Why We Import Onions 47 Section 5. The Cabbage Crop 47 Where Early Cabbage Is Grown 48 Where Late Cabbage Is Grown 49 Section 6. The Melon Crops 50 Where Cantaloupes Are Grown 50 Rapid Growth of the Cantaloupe Industry. ..... 52 The Watermelon Crop 53 Where Watermelons Are Grown 53 When Watermelons Are Marketed 54 Section 7. The Future Development 55 Production Close to Consuming Capacity 55 How Citrus Growers Avoided Over-Production. . . 55 How Organization Is Increasing Demand 56 Some Growers Saved by Cooperation 57 Selling by Auction May Increase 58 Why By-Products Reduce Losses 59 Section 8. Publicity for Fruits and Vegetables 59 Why Winter Use of Lettuce Increased 59 How Advertising Made Citrus Fruits Necessities 60 Much Still Remains to Be Accomplished 61 A PICTURE OF THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INDUSTRY BY CHARLES J. BRAND If you are to get the most out of your study on the marketing of fruits and vegetables, you must realize the important place this industry holds in the agriculture of our nation. Understanding as you do, from your study of previous lessons, that the United States leads the world in agriculture, you will be even more impressed with the importance of the fruit and vegetable industry. Although 1919 figures show that fruits and vege- tables stand in fourth place among the agricultural industries of our nation, it is only fair to say that from the standpoint of agricultural commerce, fruits and vegetables stand third rather than fourth. This is justified by the fact that hay and forage crops which hold second place in total values, do not enter into commerce enough to give them that place from the standpoint of marketing. Only cereals and cotton, therefore, are en- titled to be classed ahead of fruits and vegetables, and cotton does not have a very big lead over fruits and vegetables. It is entirely probable, there- fore, that in certain years, when the cotton crop is small, the fruit and vegetable crop might be large, and so move into second place. — Editor's Note. PART I Section 1. THE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE Keep in mind the title of this lesson as you study. This is a picture of the industry as a whole and it is most important for you to have the facts contained herein. The relative importance of fruits and vege- tables will be better understood when you realize 11 12 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 that the total commercial vegetable crop has almost twice the value of the total commercial fruit crop. As a matter of fact, the value of potatoes just about equals the total value of all fruits. This is all based on 1919 figures. Why Part of the Crop Is Not Marketed It has been estimated that not more than 50% of the fruits and vegetables produced ever reach a market. This is due to several causes, among which may be mentioned: 1. Consumption on farms 2. Disease 3. Unfavorable weather conditions 4. Scarcity of pickers when the crop is ripe 5. Difficulty in securing proper equipment, especially where refrigerator cars are required in large numbers 6. Spoilage in transit because of the extremely perishable nature of many fruits and vegetables 7. Over-ripe fruit 8. Improper icing Every additional handling increases the danger of spoilage through bruising. It is little wonder, then, that such a small portion of the total pro- duction ever reaches market. The Extent of the Commercial Industry It is difficult to ascertain an accurate total of fruits and vegetables which actually enter com- mercial channels. Probably the closest estimate that has ever been made is a tabulation made by the Federal Bureau of Markets in 1916. This included all of the car-lot shipments of fruits and vegetables made in that year with the less than car-lot (l.c.l.) and express shipments converted into even cars. The information was secured from the individual railroad station agents of the United States, about 25,000 in number. Naturally, there are some inaccu- racies to be expected in the figures and it is very likely that the actual total number of cars exceeds A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 13 the number tabulated by the government. The records show a total of 634,145 cars of fruits and vegetables shipped in the year 1916. These are divided as shown in Table I. Wide Variety Grown Commercially This list is of importance mainly because it shows the wide variety of fruits and vegetables pro- duced on a commercial scale in this country. All the important kinds of fruits and vegetables are repre- sented in this summary, but their comparative com- mercial importance is more accurately indicated in Table II and Table VI. These tables give the rank of crops as based on value. Table I is important mainly because it shows the comparative transportation problem. For example, watermelons stand second to Irish potatoes in bulk, but in value, watermelons stand in 10th place. This emphasises the importance of a proper adjustment of freight rates taking into account not only bulk and weight, but value. This was brought home to farmers by the post-war rate changes. This table also emphasizes the relative im- portance of car supply during the shipping seasons. Car shortage may be more serious in the movement of a bulky commodity than of a commodity of less bulk but greater unit value. Irish Potatoes Far in the Lead Irish potatoes are far in the lead with nearly 192,000 cars; over twice as many as the nearest com- petitor, apples, with 87,251 cars. Then follow oranges, watermelons, peaches, cabbages, and onions. All other commodities are credited in this table with less than 20,000 cars. It may be a surprise to many to know that over 16,000 cars of bananas and over 10,000 cars of celery were shipped commercially in the United States in 1916. Other equally surprising facts may be gained from a careful study of Table I. 14 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 Table I. ORDER OF RANK OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES SHIPPED IN 1916 ( Based on car-lot shipments) Kind Number of Cars : Number : of Kind : Cars Pears : 7 , 489 Lemons : 7 , 482 Mixed Vegetables: 6,210 Lettuce : 4,700 Dry beans : 4,020 Cucumbers : 3,522 Cauliflower : 2,872 Raisins : 2,860 String beans....: 2,706 Spinach : 2,653 Kale : 2,579 Grapefruit : 2 , 327 Cranberries : 1,790 Pineapples : 1,303 Asparagus : 1 , 272 Peppers : 1,066 Irish potatoes Apples Oranges Watermelons. . Peaches Cabbage Onions Mixed fruits. Tomatoes Strawberries. Cantaloupes. . Bananas Sweet potatoes Grapes Celery 191,751 87,251 50,134 28,939 25,026 24,505 22,043 19,367 19,323 18,044 17,321 16,301 15,695 12,062 10,195 Wide Fluctuation in Production The total value of all fruits in the census year 1919 was 755 million dollars. In 1920, it was 744 million dollars. In 1921, particularly by reason of killing frosts in the early spring which reduced the production of apples, peaches, and other orchard fruits, and also by reason of somewhat lower market prices, the value was only 525 million dollars. The severe reduction in 1921 can best be shown by comparing 1920 and 1921 apple figures. In 1920, our crop was nearly 224 million bushels, whereas in 1921, it was only 97 million bushels. Peaches dropped from 17 million bushels to 11 million bushels. These wide fluctuations in produc- tion create one of the most difficult problems in the marketing of fruits and vegetables. A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 15 PRODUCTION AREAS AND VALUES The fruit industry is so widespread and includes so many crops, that to convey an adequate and interesting picture of it, we must discuss, first, the whole crop in its general bearings, and then the individual crops that are of the greatest importance. Census and other government figures usually discuss fruits and nuts together. This is decidedly illogical from a marketing standpoint, as a totally different class of market men handle the different crops. Nuts are distributed almost wholly through cooperative associations of nut growers and through the wholesale grocery trade, in both cases by indi- viduals who have practically no contact with fruit marketing. Classification of Fruits Fruits themselves are usually classified under two headings: 1. Small fruits, including: straw- berries, raspberries, loganberries, dewberries, currants, blackberries, cranberries, and other berries; 2. Orchard fruits, including: apples, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, almonds, apricots, figs, and other tree fruits. Grapes are frequently treated separately but for our purpose we will include them with other fruits. The Leading F ruit Stat es As you will see from Figure 1, the 10 states that in 1919 led in fruits and nut production in the order of their rank (based on acreage) are: 1. California 6. Virginia 2. New York 7. Georgia 3. Pennsylvania 8. Washington 4. Michigan 9. West Virginia 5. Ohio 10. Missouri California is so far in the lead that no other state is likely to approach her rank for some time to come. When you consider the value of fruits 16 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 produced in 1919, California produces one-third of the total value in all the states put together. In quantity, Calif ornia produces one-sixth of the total. Where California Excels California leads all states in the production of citrus fruits. She is also third in the produc- A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 17 tion of apples, first in the production of grapes, and first in the production of peaches. The production in her southern district is chiefly citrus fruits, walnuts, apricots, avocados, and dates. The production in the San Joaquin Valley is chiefly raisins, table and wine grapes, peaches, apricots, apples, figs, and some citrus fruits. In her northern district around Sacramento the production includes peaches, apricots, plums, prunes, grapes, walnuts, almonds, apples, and pears. What Other States Produce New York holds second place by being second in the production of apples, second in the production of grapes, and tenth in the production of peaches. Florida's fruit acreage is devoted mostly to citrus fruits, with some peaches, Georgia's production is mostly peaches and pecans. The Important Fruits No other fruit comes anywhere near to apples in value. When you consider the country as a whole, and for a series of years, apples stand way above all others. However, oranges and peaches hold important places. Some years, oranges are ahead of peaches, other years, peaches lead oranges. In studying Table II, you will note the varia- tions in the two years. But you will see that apples always lead. From the effective work that is being done to increase the use of oranges, it is reasonable to expect that oranges may exceed peaches in value in the future. However, this may not be true every year for so much depends upon frost. Sometimes the frost greatly reduces the orange crop ; sometimes it interferes seriously with the peach crop. It is important to remember that after apples, oranges, and peaches, fourth place in 1920 was held 18 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 by strawberries. In some years, the value of the strawberry crop is exceeded by grapes and by plums and prunes. The place held by strawberries might be con- sidered a little remarkable, due to the fact that strawberries commonly have rather a short season. Table II. VALUES OF LE ADING FRUITS : 1919* : 1921* 1. Apples : $241,574,000 : $163,000,000 2. Oranges : 83,399,000 3. Peaches : 95,570,000 4. Strawberries....: 29,303,300 5. Grapes : 45,626,000 6. Plums and prunes: 40,984,000 7. Pears : 26,440,000 8. Cranberries : 3,198,000 9. Apricots : 12,223,000 10. Figs : 2,812,000 11. Olives : 1,418,000 64,000,000 52,000,000 35,385,200 29,500,000 20,000,000 18,000,000 6,400,000 5,400,000 1,400,000 800,000 *Bureau of Census Figures *Estiirated (Arranged in order of 1921 rank) However, the development of varieties that bear throughout the entire summer and the increase in the plantings of strawberries in widely separated sec- tions, has lengthened the season for this popular fruit. Of the other fruits, the pear is the only one that holds a very high place so far as value is concerned. It is not possible to give uniform statements regarding each variety of fruit, due to the fact that statistics are not available in many cases. How- ever, the importance of apples, citrus fruits, peaches, strawberries and grapes justifies the special treatment given to each of these crops on the pages that follow. A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 19 SECTION 2. THE APPLE CROP The apple is far and away in the lead in value of individual fruit crops. Even in 1921, with only about 37% of a crop in the eastern states that ship in barrels, the total estimated value on the farm was 163 million dollars. FIGURE 2. WHERE COMMERCIAL APPLE CROP IS PRODUCED Four of the principal states border on Canada, and only two, Arkansas and Virginia are in the South. You will see that Washington produced almost twice as much as the second state Decrease in Number of Apple Trees In 1910, there were in the United States of bearing and non-bearing trees taken together, 217 million. By 1920, the number had fallen to 151 million trees. The decrease in bearing trees was from 151 million in 1910 to 115 million in 1920, This is a decrease of 36 million trees, or 23.8% for trees of bearing age. The decrease in non-bearing trees was even greater, the number in 1920 being 45% less than in 1910. 20 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 Where Apples Are Produced As you will see from Figure 2 the three Pacific Coast states hold important places in the production of apples. As a matter of fact, the Pacific Coast produced one-third of the apples grown in 1919, although it possessed only one-seventh of the bearing trees. Washington, with three great apple dis- tricts, the Yakima Valley in the south, the Wenatchee Valley in the north, and the Spokane Valley in the east, led all states. Western States Pack in Boxes The western crop is packed in boxes, and in addition to the Washington districts, is obtained in commercial quantities from the Hood River and Willamette Valleys of Oregon, the Boise district in Idaho, and Bitter Root Valley in Montana. The Sonoma and the Watsonville districts in Cali- fornia, the Salt River Valley in Utah, the Grand Junction-Delta Montrose district of Colorado, and all of the states east of the 100th meridian pack practically 100% of the winter crop in barrels, using boxes to a very slight extent, but using bushel baskets extensively for the early varieties. Important Eastern Districts In the East, the most important areas are the Hudson Valley and Lake Erie districts in New York, the New England area, the Appalachian territory, including parts of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, the southern Illinois territory, Western Michigan, the Ozarks in Arkansas and Missouri, and the Northwestern Missouri district. Effect of Freight Rates on Production About 15% of the apple trees of bearing age in 1920 were located in the western half of the United States and of this 15%, almost half is in the state of Washington. There has been relatively little planting of new orchards anywhere in the United A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 21 States. This has been especially noticeable in the West, during recent years. This reduction in the West is due particularly to high freight rates which make it impossible to ship anything except the first class fruit to market. It costs almost 80 cents a box to ship apples from Wenatchee to New York. If western apples were packed in barrels, this would amount to $2.40 a barrel, so that the burden of freight rates is readily apparent. Why the Reduction in Trees Occurred The reduction in number of trees has taken place chiefly in ill-adapted regions and, as a conse- quence, it is not as significant as it would other- wise be. While there has been no great planting movement in recent years, there has been much new planting at certain times in the best adapted com- mercial growing sections. In New York State, the premier apple growing section of the East, four important counties increased in number of bearing trees in 10 years by 300,000. Production Per Tree Is Increasing During the 10-year period, the yield per tree has increased 20%. This is due, no doubt, to better spraying, fertilizing, pruning, and to the location of the larger part of the industry in better adapted apple growing sections. SECTION 3. THE CITRUS CROP Oranges, lemons, and grapefruit compose the bulk of this crop. There are minor quantities of tan- gerines, kumquats and one or two other lesser members of the citrus family. Oranges are by far the most important. Cali- fornia is far in the lead, with Florida ranking second. The Gulf Coast has a small acreage confined almost exclusively to the Satsuma variety. Florida 22 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 grows a number of varieties, practically all of the seeded kinds. California grows almost exclusively the Washington Navel and the Valentia Late, although the St. Michael, the Mediterranean Sweet and a few other varieties are grown in small quantities. Where Citrus Fruits Are Grown While oranges are grown generally throughout the citrus belt, lemons are confined practically to California and grapefruit to Florida. California produces only about 400 cars of grapefruit a year, and Florida does not produce any commercial quan- tities of lemons. Subtropical fruits to which the citrus belong cannot withstand more than a few degrees of frost, hence the strict geographical limitation as to area. California production of citrus fruits is con- centrated in three localities. The southern section is practically confined to five counties, including Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Ventura. The next district in importance is north of Tehachapi Pass in the San Joaquin Valley, and is confined largely to Tulare County. In the Sacra- mento Valley north of San Francisco there is also a considerable commercial production by reason of the relatively frostless climate. How California Markets Oranges Figure 3 is a chart which shows the total citrus crop of California and the proportion shipped by the growers' own company, the California Fruit Growers' Exchange, It is evident from this figure that in the seasons of 1895-96 and 1896-97 the total citrus crop of California was between 8,000 and 9,000 cars, and that only about one-third of it was handled by the California Fruit Growers' Exchange. The full length of each column represents the total crop; the black portion, the part handled by independent shippers ; A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 23 and the part from the base line to the black column the part handled by the Exchange. 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By reason of soil and disease troubles, there is great variation in the acreage and shipments from year to year. Roughly, it may be said that the shipments vary from 700 to 1,500 cars a season. The most important growing section is in the valley of the Fuerte River, Production methods are not up-to-date, the best market varieties are not always grown, and packing and shipping methods are crude. As commercial conditions in Mexico improve, so that American enterprise can more safely invest in that Republic, this business will, no doubt, assume fairly large proportions, as there are other sections of Mexico even better adapted than the West Coast to tomato growing. SECTION 4. THE ONION CR OP The onion crop is divided into the early or Bermuda crop and the late or winter crop. With respect to early crops of each of the impor- tant vegetables, it should be observed that the likelihood of profitable marketing usually depends, to an important extent, on the amount of the winter crop that remains on hand in storage at the usual season of movement of the early fresh crop. For example, if there is a large quantity of winter stored potatoes available, a large part of the consuming public will continue to use old potatoes by reason of their cheaper price. In times of great pros- perity, this condition is not so noticeable, so that, during the war, it happened on occasion, that as high as $10 per 180 pound barrel were paid for new pota- toes, while perfectly good winter potatoes would scarcely bring shipping charges. How Storage Affects the Onion Market The same condition may prevail with respect to onions. When old crop supplies clean up, or prac- tically clean up, by April 1 to 15, the new crop outlook is regarded as favorable. If the crop cleans A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 45 up by April 1, the California grower has an advantage, as his heaviest shipments usually occur about April 10 to 15. If the clean up is completed by April 15, the Bermuda grower in the section around Laredo, Texas, considers it distinctly to his advantage, as his shipments begin usually about March 25 and con- clude by June 1. Where Early Onions Are Grown The important early onion crop states are California, Louisiana, and Texas. The most important late crop states are New York, California, Ohio, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Michigan. Table IX. CAR-LOT SHIPMENTS OF ONIONS BY STATES OF ORIGIN Rank in 1921 : 1919 1920 : 1921 1. Texas : 2,876 : 5,086 : 4,526 : 2,721 : 3,373 : 2,646 ! 2,909 : 576 : ; 766 . : 824 ! 629 : 1,894 : • 4,209 3, New York : 2,588 : 3,648 ! 3,564 • 2,833 • 2,428 6. Ohio : 1,890 ! 2,128 7. Michigan : 308 591 9. Iowa : 502 585 : 466 All other states.: 2,167 : 436 2.469 25,950 : 23,359 Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Kentucky. Natur- ally, there is variation from year to year by reason of crop conditions in the ranking of the states. Table IX, showing car-lot shipments, for the years from 1919 to 1921, inclusive, will give a fairly clear idea of the location of the industry: The Texas Bermuda Onion Crop The Texas Bermuda onion crop is a short season crop, being similar in this respect to the Imperial 46 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 Valley cantaloupe crop. During a period of about 60 days, a crop of from 3,000 to 6,000 cars of a decidedly perishable product must be moved from the banks of the Rio Grand on the Mexican border to the consuming markets in the more populous centers of the United States. The first cars usually move during the last few days in March. Before the end of April, if no unfavorable conditions arise, a few shipping stations will be sending to market daily 200 or more cars. Shipments then gradually taper off so that by the middle of May not more than 25 cars per day may be moving, and by June 1, the movement will have ceased completely. M arket Distribution During the spring of 1922, the Bureau of Markets traced to primary destination 3,786 cars originating in the Laredo district. The importance of various markets is illustrated in part by Table X, which Table X. THE MOST IMPORTANT ONION MARKETS, 1922 Primary Destination Number of Cars Primary Destination Number of Cars St. Louis .... New York Chicago East St. Louis Boston New Orleans . . Taylor, Texas San Antonio, Tex 1,328 522 227 167 133 124 109 108 Philadelphia Pittsburgh Kansas City Houston. . . . Fort Worth . Buffalo ... Cleveland . Cincinnati Milwaukee , 92 85 62 41 40 29 26 26 20 shows important central markets and the number of cars consigned to them. Only a selection of the more important ones is given: It must be remembered, particularly with respect to cities like St. Louis, Missouri, East St. Louis, Illinois, San Antonio, and Taylor, Texas, and other A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 47 billing points, that they are used as primary destinations, with a view to subsequent diversion of cars to final consuming markets. It will be seen that the 17 cities listed above were the primary destination of 3,149 cars of the 3,786 cars traced, or 83%. Why We Import Onions The exporting of onions from the United States is negligible. Imports are sometimes of considerable importance, particularly in view of freight rates existing at the present time in the United States. There were times, during 1920 and 1921, when cnions could be brought from the Canary Island to New York City at a less cost for transportation than onions could be shipped from Ohio points, and only a little more than the cost of shipping them from the Connecticut Valley and Western New York to the Nev; York market ! Prices during the spring of 1922 in American markets were high enough, in spite of the tariff, to attract onions from surplus production.regions in foreign countries. Onions come to the Pacific Coast from Australia, and to the Atlantic Coast from Egypt, South America, West Indies, Mexico, and the Bermudas. During the first six months of 1922 nearly 700,000 bushels were imported, which is equal to nearly 1,300 carloads. The total imports for the year 1920 were 1,819,000 bushels. S ECTION 5. THE CABBAGE CROP Cabbage is grown on a commercial scale in at least 25 states. The same distinction with respect to the early and late crop is to be noted as prevails in the case of potatoes and onions. The commercial production of the country is shown in Figure 8. You will see that , in total production, the states rank as follows: 48 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 1. New York 6. Florida 2. Wisconsin 7. Texas 3. Pennsylvania 8. Michigan 4. Virginia 9. Ohio 5. California 10. New Jersey Where Early Cabbage Is Gr own The most important states producing for the early market are Florida, California, Texas, Missis- CABBAG (GROWN FOB S — , ACREAGE, E ALE) 1919 EACH DOT REPRESENTS \ 5 \ J~ CAB3AGE ACREAGE -J ' 1 1 \4%g $ A- * *r t / ^ 1 *v *• \ ' "Ve*" J CABBAGE (Continued) . / •• \ — V* bept. of Aeeic. )? STATE ACRES ^\ 7 )•£** III. . . Colo. Minn. Mat. Md.. S. C. Other 3,782 3,772 3,372 2,737 2,442 2,232 23,118 STATE ACRES STATE ACRES N.Y.. Wii,. Pa... Va. .. Calif . 38,555 11,955 7,718 5,443 5,422 Fla .. Tex. . Mich. Ohio. N.J.. 4,501 4,329 4,297 4,240 4,079 OAT A FBOM-U.S. U.S. 123.994 FIGURE 8. CABBAGE PRODUCTION RATHER SCATTERED While the largest quantities of cabbage are produced in northern states, there are good quantities produced in many southern states. The numbers indicate the order of rank sippi, Louisiana, and South Carolina. Coleman, Sumter County, and Bartow are the chief Florida shipping points. Los Angeles, Anaheim, and Fullerton are the most important California shipping points. Mission, San Benito, Brownsville, and Mercedes are the chief points of origin in Texas. Crystal Springs and Hazelhurst are in the center of the heaviest production in Mississippi. A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 49 Orleans, St. Charles, and St, Tammany parishes make up the most important Louisiana producing territory. Charleston and Meggetts are the chief shipping points in South Carolina, both being located in Charleston County. The major part of the Charleston shipments originate on Young Island in Charleston harbor. Where Late Cabbage Is Grown The late crop should really be divided into medium and late. However, this is not usually done in practice. The medium late crop is grown in the Norfolk section and in Wythe County, Virginia; in Muscatine County, Iowa; in certain California sections; and in Adams and Weld counties, Colorado. In some of these, late cabbage is also grown. The important centers of production in eastern Virginia are: Norfolk, Cape Charles, Eastville ; and southwest Virginia, Rural Retreat, Marion, Crockett, and Atkins. Most of the important centers of production in Colorado are: Brighton, the headquarters of the Colorado Cabbage Exchange, Greeley, Lupton, Watt en- berg, lone, Traceyville, and Ault, By far the most important state in the produc- tion of late cabbage is New York. All of the states in the Great Lakes territory are important, but the district south of Lake Erie extending from Syracuse to Buffalo, produces nearly one-fourth of the late cabbage crop of the country. The most important counties are Cortland, Madison, Monroe, Niagara, Onondaga, Ontario, and Wayne. The section around Waterford, Erie County, Pa., may be considered a continuation of the New York territory, Wisconsin is the heaviest commercial producing state in the middle northwest. The important centers are Cambria, Ripon, Perryville, Somers, Appleton, 50 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON I Greenville, Shiocton, Corliss, Caledonia, Union Grove, and Racine. SECTION 6. THE MELON CROP The commercial crop to which the name "canta- loupe" is applied would more correctly be designated the "muskmelon" crop. Popular usage has, however, decreed otherwise, so that the name of one variety of muskmelon has come to be applied to the whole crop of which it is only a part. So popular has the cantaloupe grown during the last 15 years that it is now one of the most widely w*- \ 7 J if *. / MMELONS CANT ALC * )UPES AND MUSKMELONS (GROWN FOR SALE) ACREAGE, 1919 "*SSr" CANTALOUPES AND M n I 1 ."" V 1 :j. - . y z v- ■ • * f f \ .• >^j y J CANTALOUPES AND MUSKMELONS (Continued)' r— *£*-*{ STATE | ACRES Tex Ga . Ill . Ohio Va.. N.Y. Oilier 2,093 1,659 1,481 1,446 1,383 1,091 11,452 STATE ACRES STATE ACRES .WF~~ ^^^^Oj-V Cahf. Ark . Md.. N.J . lad.. 21,470 8,999 4,665 4,23 1 4,182 Colo. Ariz . Del.. Mich. N.C. 4,oor 3,300 2,500 2347 2,130 DATA FROM •u.s.o EPTofAGOC. J? U.S. 78,436 FIGURE 9. WHERE CANTALOUPES ARE GROWN Cantaloupes are now commonly shipped entirely across the country, as you will see by the important places held by California, Colorado and Arizona used, thoroughly distributed, and seasonably available articles of food in the United States, Where Cantaloupes Are Grown Fresh cantaloupes in commercial quantities become available from the Imperial Valley of Cali- fornia, during the latter part of May, and continue on our markets until well into October, the last A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 51 important shipping territory being the region of relatively higher altitude, around Rocky Ford, Colorado. Figure 9 shows the location of the most important commercial producing areas. Rank of States In Cantaloupe Production In 1919 the order of rank in cantaloupe produc- tion was as follows: 1. California 6. Colorado 2. Arkansas 7. Arizona 3. Maryland 8. Delaware 4. New Jersey 9. Michigan 5. Indiana 10. North Carolina California is the most important cantaloupe state in point of acreage and quantity of production. The chief centers are the Imperial Valley in the south, with Brawley, Heber, and Calexico the chief shipping points ; Los Angeles County and Stanislaus County, with Turlock, Keyes, and Demair the most important shipping stations. In point of acreage, the state of Arkansas ranks next to California, but the production per acre is very much less. Harris, Blevins, McCaskill, Nashville, and Van Buren are among the more important shipping points. An important territory is in the Salt River Valley near Glendale and Phoenix, Arizona. This territory usually ships from 900 to 1,500 cars between June 25 and August 5. The cantaloupe territory on the New Mexico-Texas line is in the Messila Valley, the chief center being La Tuna. The heavy shipping district in Colorado is the Rocky Ford-Ordway section in Arkansas Valley. The important producing territory in Indiana is in the counties of Gibson, Jackson, Knox, and Posey. The heavy shipping points are Vincennes, 52 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 Decker, Poseyville, and Johnson. The headquarters of the distributing agencies are mostly located in the town of Princeton. The heavy producing territory in Georgia is in the vicinity of Fitzgerald, Valdosta, and Camilla. Sussex County, Delaware, Gloucester County, New Jersey, and Wicomico County on the eastern shore of Maryland are also important producing sections. Rapid Growth of the Cantaloupe Industry As an illustration of the rapid increase of the cantaloupe industry, the Imperial Valley furnishes an important instance. In 1905 only 297 carloads were shipped from this section. Since that time, the volume has increased more than 3,000%! The season of 1922 was the greatest that has ever been experienced when to July 20, 12,056 cars had been shipped as compared with 10,708 in 1921, and 8,903 in 1920. The average yield is from 150 to 160 standard crates, but many fields will run 200 crates to the acre. Enormous Shipments in 1922 The largest number of cars ever shipped on one day in any previous season was in June, 1919, when 348 went out in a single day. On June 9, 1921, 335 cars were shipped. In 1922 all previous records were broken when on June 19, 385 cars were shipped. The movement continued to grow and by the 23d, 525 cars rolled ; on the 26th, 557 ; and on the peak day of the season, June 27, 648 cars were loaded. This was just 300 cars higher than the record day of previous years. During the last 10 days in June, an average of more than 500 cars rolled daily, while for the three weeks' period, June 17 to July 4, the daily loadings exceeded 300 cars per day, except on two Sundays. This crop was marketed by 43 distributers, only two of whom shipped less than 100 cars. The largest individual distributer shipped 950 cars. A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 53 When you bear in mind that this crop is produced 3,000 miles away from its greatest single market, New York City, is highly perishable, and must be shipped in refrigerator cars practically on passenger train schedules, you can readily visualize the multi- tude, peculiarity, and difficulty of the marketing problems that arise. In 1917 cantaloupe shipments totalled 16,719 cars from all shipping sections of the United States. In 1922 the shipped crop totalled nearly 30,000 cars. THE WATERMELON CROP One of the remarkable occurrences of recent years in American dietary, is the rate at which consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased and consump- tion of meat has decreased. Watermelons have increased in use along with the rest. Where Watermelons Are Grown The 1920 crop of nearly 40,000 cars was nearly 10,000 carloads greater than the 1919 crop. Com- parable figures are not available for all years, but it is interesting to note that the 1921 crop totaled 48,463 cars. In 1922, the shipments reached 48,000 cars. In 1922 Georgia shipped a total of 13,098 cars ; Florida, 10,897 cars; South Carolina, 4,524 cars; and Texas, 3,630 cars. California is usually a heavy shipping state and its 1922 total was around 4,000 cars. The southeastern states in 1922 contributed 26,342 cars during the period from May 23 to August 7. This quantity was produced in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Alabama. Of the 26,342 cars, 7% went to New England, 34% to the Middle Atlantic States, over 25% to the Middle West, 6% to the states west of the Mississippi, and 27% to the Southern States. New York City alone received 30,044 cars, or 11.6%, and Chicago, 1,737 cars, or 6.6%. 54 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 When Watermelons Are Marketed Without attempting to discuss further the loca- tion, importance, and shipping seasons of the main watermelon area, Table XI is given to indicate to the student, the widespread character of the water- melon industry and the relative importance of the different areas. The tonnage for 1917 is given as that is the year for which the most complete relative figures are available. Table XI. Watermelon Shipping Areas, 1917 : : Shipping :Larger Loading State :No. Cars: Season : Stations : : : Thomasville, 8,770 : June 1- : Quitman, : Sept. 15 : Ft. Valley South Carolina: : : Lena, 4,107 : June 20- : Furman, : August 31: Ridgeland : : Bowling Green 3,622 : May 1- : Ocala, : August 15: Live Oak : : Hemstead, 2,871 : May 15- : Weatherford, : : Oct. 15 : Como : s Maiden, 2,533 : July 15- : Gibson, : Oct. 1 : Clarkton 1,552 : June 15- : Grand Bay, : : Oct. 15 : Malvern North Carolina 1 : : Laurinburg, : 1,201 : July 15- : Fayetteville, : : Sept. 1 : Maxton : : Brawley, ! 1,137 : June 1- : Dinuba, : : Oct. 10 : Turlock Maryland. ...... 1,019 : Aug. 1- : Salisbury, : : Oct. 1 : Reid's Grove All Other Stajtes : 3,612 : : 30,424 : A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 55 SECTION 7. THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT The commercial fruit and vegetable industry has developed in such a short time that it has not received the attention that has been devoted to some other classes of agricultural commodities. Fresh fruits and vegetables, furthermore, are seasonal crops. They must be sold while in prime condition or loss occurs. Some crops of this class, such as strawberries and lettuce, must be marketed immediately after harvesting. Others, like potatoes and apples, may be stored several months without serious deterioration. This complicates the marketing problem. In addition, the production of fruits and vege- tables is subject to greater fluctuation than is the case with most other commodities. An acre of good wheat land will produce only about 30 bushels, or 1,200 pounds. It will take a great many addi- tional acres to have an appreciable effect on the crop of a nation that runs into 600 or 800 million bushels. Cabbages, on the other hand, often yield 10 tons (20,000 pounds) to the acre, and a comparatively small increase in acreage, may push supply far above the demand with disastrous results to prices. P roduction Close to Consuming Capacity At the present time, the production of many classes of fruits and vegetables is perilously near the present consuming capacity of the country. We have thousands of acres of land in various sections of the country that are admirably adapted to the pro- duction of fruits and vegetables, but until methods of marketing the existing crops are improved, or the consuming capacity of the country is increased, it would be folly to think of developing them. H ow Citrus Growers Avoided Over-Production Much has been done to improve the situation, but still more remains to be accomplished. Twenty years 56 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 ago, the citrus growers of California were con- fronted by the problem of over-production. Condi- tions had seemed to favor the orange and lemon industry for a number of years. Prices were good and the growers increased the size of the groves and many new growers entered this attractive industry. Then suddenly, something went wrong. Prices began to decline in the favorite markets, so that, frequently, a carload of oranges would sell for less than the cost of production. There seemed to be more oranges than the people could consume. Then followed some wild efforts to find new markets. Cars were diverted from the glutted markets to other points, but this afforded very uncertain relief, because when one large grower diverted a carload from New York to Baltimore, the chances were that his neighbor and a number of other growers would do the same thing. So that by the time half of the cars arrived in Baltimore, prices would be de- moralized there also. How Organization Is Increasing Demand Something had to be done, and a number of the leading citrus growers got together and organized the California Fruit Growers' Exchange. This is a producers' organization developed for the purpose of enabling the growers to work out cooperatively the problems that none could solve individually. This organization has been extremely successful. Like any other similar effort, it has had its ups and downs, but through persistence and wise direc- tion it has always managed to maintain a very large and representative membership. It would be difficult to estimate the good that it has accomplished for the citrus growers of Cali- fornia, and incidentally, for those of Florida as well. The Exchange, first of all, tackled the problem of distribution. It regulated the shipments to the A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 57 various markets. Having control of a large part of the total crop, this could be done effectively. It then undertook to improve the methods of growing, harvesting, and packing. Last, but not least, it inaugurated a very effec- tive system for stimulating the consumption of citrus fruits by educating the public through adver- tising. This has been so very effective that the consumption of oranges and lemons has steadily increased with gratifying results to all concerned. S ome Growers Saved by Cooperation Following similar methods, the California Asso- ciated Raisin Growers rescued a large group of grape producers who were on the verge of destitution, and placed their industry upon a very sound and profitable foundation. Many other successful cooperative organizations have been developed re- cently in California, and to a limited extent in other parts of the country. An important development which has been peculiar to the fruit and vegetable industry has been the organization of large private or semi-cooperative selling agencies. Among the large outstanding ones, have been the North American Fruit Exchange, the General Sales Agency, and the American Fruit Growers, Inc. These sales agencies are treated fully in succeeding lessons. One of the big difficulties in marketing fruits and vegetables has been that even though a community might cooperate in shipping, it would not have suffi- cient tonnage, or a sufficiently long season to warrant maintaining its own sales force in the large markets. The California Fruit Growers 1 Exchange, however, has been able to maintain sales organiza- tions in principal markets, because it has oranges and lemons moving to market every month in the year. 58 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 The private sales agencies were developed to meet this need for representatives in large markets. They have their representatives in all of the im- portant markets, and are able to maintain this force, because they handle shipments from various growers or cooperative associations in different parts of the country, some of which are shipping each month in the year. Selling by Auction May Increase Another phase of fruit and vegetable marketing is thought by certain students of marketing to have great potential possibilities. This is the auction method of selling, which will be covered thoroughly in a separate lesson. The fruit auctions play an important part in the perishable business in most large markets, but with a few notable exceptions, it is true that auctions have been used mostly to dispose of shipments which could not be sold through the usual trade channels. Consequently, in many cities auctions have be- come the last resort for fruit which has been shipped from one market to another, and which has reached the point where it must be sold without further delay. The California Fruit Growers' Exchange sells the larger part of its fruit through auctions and has apparently profited by it. Students who feel that there will be a real development in this method of selling in the future, base their arguments mainly upon these two points: First, the development of standardization will greatly facilitate auction selling. Second, fruit auctions seem to be the nearest approach to the centralized exchange system which has been so effective in selling live stock, grain, and cotton. There is a greater opportunity for waste and loss in the fruit and vegetable industry than in almost any other departments of agriculture. Ignor- A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 59 ance of proper marketing methods, the perishable nature of the crops, and the lack of organized sell- ing machinery are the reasons. Why By-Pro ducts Reduce Losses The development of the by-product industry has done much to reduce unnecessary waste and losses by making profitable use of fruits and vegetables that cannot be marketed profitably otherwise. The can- ning and drying of fruits and vegetables, and the making of fruit juices have all helped to prevent loss of surplus or cull products. While much has been done in the development of the by-product industry, the limit of possibilities in this direction is not in sight, and tremendous developments may be looked for in the next few years. This subject is treated at much greater length in later lessons. Section 8. PUBLICITY FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES One of the principal problems that the fruit and vegetable grower has to overcome in the market- ing of his product, is the tendency on the part of the general public to regard certain of these com- modities as luxuries. Much has been done to remove this notion from the public mind, but a great deal still remains to be accomplished. This question is of particular importance to the producers of what are commonly regarded as out-of -season crops. Why Winter Use of Lettuce Increased Lettuce is one of these. Previously regarded as a very great luxury in the winter time, its use was confined to the wealthy class whose requirements were largely filled by local greenhouses. In 1899, the state of California produced only two acres of lettuce. However, the public's appe- tite for lettuce was being coaxed along by Florida growers, who planted 548 acres in 1899. By 1919, the lettuce acreage in California had increased to 6,121, and in Florida to 2,664. 60 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 The increase in consumption, indicated by these figures, has been accomplished without any real concentrated effort on the part of the producers or distributers. If the producers of lettuce could pool their efforts just as the raisin and the walnut growers of California have done, and if they would conduct an educational campaign, the demand for this very healthful and palatable winter vegetable could doubtless be doubled or tripled very quickly. This is cited as an example of the possibilities of cooperative effort on the part of producers to increase the demand for a commodity that is in danger of being produced in larger quantities than can be sold to advantage, unless demand is increased. How Advertising Made Citrus Fruits Necessities Advertising, in one form or another, has accom- plished the seemingly impossible task of removing citrus fruits from the strictly luxury class, so that they are now considered an absolute necessity by a large portion of the population. A greater opportunity for the application of modern selling methods is given in the advertising of fruits and vegetables than in any other agricul- tural commodity. This statement is made for several reasons: First, because fruits and vegetables generally go to the consumer in the original form. Second, because the distribution and sales of fruits and vegetables are probably less organized than any of the main classes of agricultural prod- ucts. Grain, live stock, and cotton already have their organized central market places. Third, fruits, especially have, until recently, been considered more in the class with luxuries and it is only in the past few years that they have been generally recognized as an essential part of our everyday diet. The educational work of the raisin growers with the slogan "Have you had your iron today?" is especially noteworthy. A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 61 Much Still Remains to Be Accomplished One fact must be borne in mind, and that is, that in spite of the noteworthy progress that has already been made in the marketing of the fruit and vege- table crops, much still remains to be accomplished. The industry, as a whole, is unorganized. Even the marketing of our most important fruit crop, apples, is in a chaotic state in many localities, and very little has been done in the way of a consistent effort to stimulate greater use of this crop. The Federal Bureau of Markets since its organiza- tion in 1913, has greatly assisted the fruit and vegetable industry. Its work on standard grades, inspection, and market news service, has done much to bring the industry out of chaos and to put it on a more substantial footing. The fruit and vegetable industry will always be speculative, because of the perishable nature of the crops, but standard grades, inspection, and the widespread knowledge of marketing conditions can do much to reduce the extent of gambling and render it essentially a well-organized, legitimate busi- ness. 62 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 THE ONE MOST IMPORTANT SERVICE IN RAISING PRICES Possibly it is over-stating the matter a little to say that any one factor in the marketing of fruits and vegetables influences prices more than others. But it is generally recognized that the subject dis- cussed in Lesson 2, is the one that has been largely responsible for the better prices and the better demand enjoyed by fruits and vegetables in recent years. What is it that any shipper can do to greatly reduce his freight bills? What is it that makes auction selling possible? What is it that has made housewives willing to pay more for fruits than in former years? What is it that has made it possible to sell more oranges since growers organized themselves into co- operative shipping associations? The answers are made very clear in Lesson 2, and after reading it, there will be no doubt in your mind but that it pays shippers to do this work that makes consumers more willing to pay higher prices for good quality fruits and vegetables. A PICTURE OF THE INDUSTRY 63 GLOSSARY OF MARKETING TERMS USED IN THIS LESSON brassica, n. A large genus of annual and perennial herbs of the mustard family of the old world, fur- nishing several of the earliest cultivated and most valuable table vegetables such as cabbage, cauli- flower, kale, brussels sprouts, etc. by-product, n. After the best of a lot of fruits or vegetables is sold for the use to which they are best suited, there usually are some of inferior grade that are canned, made into preserves, jellies, drinks, or other useful products known as by- products. citrus fruit, A fruit borne on trees that do not shed their leaves each season; as opposed to de- ciduous fruits (which see). The genus includes: oranges, lemons, limes, grape fruits, tangerines, etc. cucurbitous crop, A crop belonging to the cucur- bitacae, a genus of herbaceous vines of the gourd family, including pumpkins, squashes, watermelons, cucumbers, etc. cull, n. An article rejected, or at least placed in an inferior grade. For example, in sorting pota- toes, those which are scabby or knotty are thrown out as culls. Sometimes culls have a value. For example: cull potatoes may be used for stock feed. In other cases, culls have little value, or at least no use has yet been discovered for them. deciduous fruit, Fruit borne on trees that shed their leaves at the close of each producing season, such as apples, pears, plums, peaches, apricots, and others. divert, v. As used in this lesson, to change the destination of a shipment. Usually only full car- loads are diverted. demoralized price. A low price brought about by a supply greater than the demand. As a rule, a de- moralized price is one which does not return shippers a profit. Sometimes the returns are not enough to pay the freight alone. 64 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES LESSON 1 express shipment, A shipment made through an express company instead of through the railroad company, usually of a small quantity (less than a carload) . The shipment usually is made by express in order to decrease the time between the shipping point and the market. There are times when entire carloads are shipped by express, in which case the car is handled the same as an express car, on an ex- press train. glut, v. A condition that sometimes occurs in a market, characterized by the presence of more of a certain product than can be sold at a price fair to producers before more of the product will arrive for sale. market news service, A system maintained by the Federal Department of Agriculture, whereby informa- tion regarding prices, demand, and supply of fruits and vegetables, is transmitted by telegraph, radio, telephone, and mail, to shipping points, from which the products reported on are to be shipped. perennial plant, One that continues to grow from one planting, from year to year, as opposed to an annual plant, which is one that must be planted each year. A biennial plant is one that lives for two years from the one planting. solanaceous crop, Crops belonging to the solana- ceae family, a large genus of temperate and tropical herbs, shrubs, and trees. In North America the best known crops of this genus belong to the so-called "night shade" family, and include tomatoes, pota- toes and egg-plant. salad plant, Plants commonly used for making salads, including lettuce, endive, chickory, dande- lion, garden-cress, mustard, cives, etc. tuber crop, A crop cultivated for the tubers or enlarged roots which are used for food for either man or beast. tonnage, n. As used in this lesson, refers to a total number of tons ; often used in an indefinite capacity, that is, without referring to a specific number of tons. Instead of saying, "The total quantity of fruits marketed this year is extra large," the same thing is often said by using the word "tonnage," thus: "The tonnage of fruits mar- keted this year is extra large." urban, adj. Descriptive of persons or things, in, or related to a city or town; as opposed to country. 12-23-2M-18