UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA SERIES ON CALIFORNIA CROPS AND PRICES APRICOTS H. R. WELLMAN BULLETIN 423 May, 1927 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRINTING OFFICE BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 1927 APRICOTS H. E. WELLMANi SUMMARY The commercial production of apricots in the United States is practically confined to California. The outstanding developments in the apricot industry in this state during the past two decades have been (1) a comparatively small increase in production, (2) a slight increase in relative purchasing power, and (3) a substantial increase in bearing acreage since 1918. The average increase in the commercial production of apricots in California during the period from 1909 to 1926 amounted to only 3 per cent a year, which is small as compared with the increase in the production of many of our fruits. This comparatively small increase in production was not sufficient to cause a decline in relative purchasing power because the demand for apricots increased more than the supply. As a result growers are normally able to buy slightly more of other commodities with the money they receive for a ton of apricots today than they were five, ten, or fifteen years ago. This situation is unusual. Apricot growers have felt the agricultural depression less than most farmers. The relatively high prices received for apricots as compared with other commodities has been an important cause for the rapid expan- sion in apricot acreage. Between 1918 and 1926 the bearing acreage of apricots increased 83 per cent. This substantial increase in bearing acreage has not as yet resulted in a corresponding increase in produc- tion, because: (1) a relatively large proportion of the trees listed as bearing have not yet reached the age of maximum bearing; and (2) the newer plantings were more generally made in sections less favor- able to high production. Unfortunately we have no exact measure- ment of the influence of each factor. The available evidence, however, indicates that the first factor mentioned has been the most important cause of the failure of production to keep pace with the increase in bearing acreage. Consequently there will probably be a substantial increase in production during the next few years. 1 Extension Specialist in Agricultural Economics. 4 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION The bulk of the California crop has a three-way outlet: it may be dried, canned, or shipped fresh. The proportion of the crop utilized in these three ways depends largely on the prices offered, and the possibility of increasing or decreasing the supply of each brings the prices of them into close adjustment. There has been an increase in the output of each of the three kinds of apricots during the past 18 years. The percentage increase in the output of canned apricots, however, has been over seven times as great as that of dried apricots and almost twice as great as that of fresh shipments. The tendency towards an increased utilization of the apricot crop in canning is clearly shown by the fact that the percent- age of the commercial crop canned increased from 18 per cent in 1909-1913 to 30 per cent in 1922-1926. On the other hand, the per- centage of the commercial crop dried decreased from 80 per cent in 1909-1913 to 67 per cent in 1922-1926. Although the interstate ship- ments of fresh apricots increased both absolutely and relatively during this period, they are still of minor importance, amounting to only 3 per cent of the crop. The consumption of fresh apricots in the United States can prob- ably be increased provided an attractive, palatable product is placed on the many small markets. At the present time the bulk of the interstate shipments of fresh apricots is sold in the few large auction markets, primarily because the extreme perishability of fresh apricots makes it necessary to handle them quickly. An increase in the present limited distribution depends chiefly upon future improvements in harvesting, packing, and refrigeration methods. There is no immedi- ate prospect, however, that the markets for fresh apricots can be sufficiently widened to provide an outlet for any substantial increase in production. Even if it were possible to find profitable markets for double the present interstate shipments, they would provide an outlet for only an additional 5,000 tons, or a total of 6 per cent of the present production. Consequently the largest part of the expected increase in production will probably have to be marketed through the canned and dried channels. The markets for canned apricots in the United States can probably be expanded. During the past twenty years the demand for canned apricots has increased substantially, as is shown by the fact that the purchasing power for canned apricots has increased slightly despite an increase of over 200 per cent in the pack. Furthermore, at the present time the per capita consumption of canned apricots is small, amounting to only 0.55 of a pound in equivalent of the fresh product. BUL. 423] APRICOTS 5 It does not seem likely, however, that the canned market can be expanded sufficiently, at the present level of values, to provide an outlet for the bulk of the probable increase in apricot production. The increasing output of other canned fruits, such as peaches, pine- apples, and pears, will increase the present keen competition. The dried apricot markets, although they take two-thirds of the crop at the present time, have not kept pace with the increase in commercial production. The United States is not a dried-apricot- consuming nation. Although the total per capita production of dried apricots is small, amounting to only one-third of a pound, over one- half is exported. It does not seem likely that consumers in the United States can be induced to eat any greatly increased quantity of dried apricots unless prices are reduced or unless the public taste changes. The possibility of marketing a much larger quantity of dried apricots in foreign countries is not at present encouraging. Foreign countries are buying as large a quantity of dried apricots from the United States as before the war, but no larger. This constitutes a smaller percentage of the crop. Prior to the war 68 per cent of the dried output was exported as compared to 53 per cent during the past five years. Three of the four most important foreign markets, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France, are buying a smaller quantity of dried apricots at the present time than before the war. During the five-year period from 1910 to 1914, these three countries received almost 70 per cent of our total exports as compared with less than half of our exports during the past five years. Fortunately this loss has been replaced by increased exports to Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Canada. Any substantial increase in exports depends largely upon the recovery of European countries from the post-war depression. The present evidence indicates that the purchasing power of European countries is increasing. However, it is doubtful if this increase will be sufficiently rapid within the next few years to provide an outlet for greatly increased exports at the present level of values. Further- more, the increased demand for our apricots may be in part offset by the increasing competition of apricots from Australia and the Union of South Africa. What of the Future? — Apricot acreage is increasing. Production will be substantially higher when the present acreage comes into full bearing. There is no immediate prospect that this probable increase can be absorbed at the relatively high price level that apricots now 6 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION occupy. Consequently growers should expect decreased returns in the future unless they are able to improve the quality of their apricots or produce them at lower costs. Those who can not make these im- provements and who have not made satisfactory profits in the past should give careful attention to alternative enterprises. The fortunate monopoly which California enjoys does not warrant any great increase in plantings. If additional acreage is planted, it should be upon land adapted to the crop and in climatic zones favorable to it. Growers on marginal land must compete with others who produce apricots at a relatively low cost. In the future apricot producers are likely to feel the pinch of competition more than they have in the past. TABLE 1 Apricots — Number of Trees, Bearing and Non-Bearing, by States, 192.0 Number of trees Total acreage Average number of bearing trees State Bearing Non-bearing Total Acres* Per cent per farm reporting 3,688,217 47,608 39,464 20,845 21,830 7,348 7,957 12,811 1,243,706 13,000 4,072 7,745 435 4,024 1,437 9,783 4,931,923 60,608 43,536 28,590 22,265 11,372 9,394 22,594 61,649 756 544 357 278 142 117 283 96.1 1.2 0.9 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.4 238.2 55.6 48.0 12.9 Utah 43.0 5.0 12.6 Others 7.9 Total 3,846,080 1,284,202 5,130,282 64,126 100.0 * Trees converted to acres on basis of 80 trees per acre. Sources of data: Fourteenth Census of the United States, vol. 5, p. 868. 1920. THE GENERAL SITUATION California's Place in the Apricot Industry. — Almost all of the United States acreage of apricots is in California. The apricot acre- age in the United States in 1920 3 amounted to aproximately 64,000 acres, of which 96 per cent was in California (table 1). The remain- 2 Acknowledgment : The author of this circular wishes to express his thanks and indebtedness to the following organizations which have generously contributed from their data and their time: The California Cooperative Crop Eeporting Ser- vice, Bureau of Agricultural Economics, United States Department of Agricul- ture; Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, United States Department of Commerce; Division of Agricultural Economics, University of California; Califor- nia Prune and Apricot Growers Association; California Fruit Exchange; Califor- nia Cooperative Canneries; California Packing Corporation; Libby, McNeill, and Libby; Eosenberg Bros, and Co., Guggenhime and Co., and H. C. Eowley, Cali- fornia Fruit News. s Apricots are not reported in the 1925 U. S. Census of Agriculture. Bul. 423] APRICOTS ing 4 per cent of the acreage was widely distributed. The 1920 Census reports apricot trees in 33 states other than California. Only 6 of these 33 states, Washington, Arizona, Oklahoma, Utah, Texas, and Kansas, had more than 100 acres each. The other 27 states had a combined acreage of only 283 acres. A comparison between the total acreage per state and the average number of bearing trees per farm (table 1) indicates that of the 33 states other than California, only 3, Washington, Arizona, and Utah, are of any commercial importance in the production of apricots. In the other states, the small acreage together with the small number of bearing trees per farm indicates that this crop is grown almost entirely for home or local-market consumption. Acreage of Eight Deciduous-Tree Fruits, California, 1926 (Bearing and Non-Bearing, 1925 Plantings Included) 1000 Acres 80 120 D 40 80 120 160 200 Acres 0_ Prunes 197999 Peaches 177782^ Apricots 101400*| 91695 Pears Apples Figs Plums Cherries 70007 61093 41616 17245 v////////////////////////////)y//A 7////////////////////////A W/////////////////M W///////////A * Revised figure. Fig. 1.— -Apricots rank third in total acreage among the important competing deciduous-tree fruits in California. Data from California Crop Report, 1925, p. 31. Importance of Apricots in California. — The total acreage devoted to apricot production in California in 1926 amounted to 101,400 acres. Of the deciduous-tree fruits that compete more or less directly with apricots — only two — prunes and peaches— had a larger acreage, while five — pears, apples, figs, plums, and cherries — had a smaller acreage (flg.i). Between 1918 and 1926 the bearing acreage of apricots increased 83 per cent. During this period only two of the eight important deciduous-tree fruits — figs and pears — experienced a greater per cent- y UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION age increase in bearing acreage than apricots, while five of them — plums, prunes, cherries, apples, and peaches 4 — show a smaller per- centage increase (fig. 2). The total bearing acreage of these eight fruits increased from 352,000 acres in 1918 to 555,000 acres in 1926, an increase of 203,000 acres, or 58 per cent. Eelative Increase in Bearing Acreage of Eight Deciduous-Tree Fruits in California from 1918 to 1926 Bearing Acres Per cent rt 1918 1926 increaaaH 25 125 150 175 Figs 8700 36100 505 Pears 22400 55500 148 Apricots 40900 75000* 85 Plums 17500 50200 75 Prunes 105000 160500 56 Cherries 8600 11600 55 Apples 45600 65600 28 Psaohss 107600 151500 22 Total 552100 655000 58 * Revised figure. '^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^m 1 ffi%^%^m%zzmfflz%2& Y////////////////ZZ7, mm////m vzmz\ mm wz& Fig. 2. — Of the important deciduous-tree fruits in California, two have ex- perienced a greater, and five have experienced a smaller, percentage increase in bearing acreage during the past eight years than apricots. Data from California Crop Report, 1925, p. 32. Distribution of Apricot Acreage in California. — The distribution of the total apricot acreage in California in 1927, exclusive of 1926 plantings, is shown in figure 3. Although apricots are grown in 47 of the 58 counties in the state, the large producing areas are confined to comparatively few counties. One-half of the total acreage in 1927 was in the five counties of Santa Clara, Ventura, Riverside, Stanislaus, and San Benito, while Santa Clara County alone had 19 per cent of the total. The combined acreage in the twenty-one counties listed in figure 3 amounted to 92,262 acres, or 93.5 per cent of the total. The acreage in each of the other twenty-six counties was relatively small. Only five of the twenty-six counties contained more than 500 acres each, while fourteen of them contained less than 100 acres each. * The bearing acreage of peaches declined during the first part of this period, reaching the low point of 101,000 acres in 1921; since 1921 it has increased rapidly. Bul. 423] APRICOTS Apricot Acreage, California, 1927 (Bearing and Non-Bearing) County — Acres Santa Clara 18,848 Ventura 11,460 Riverside 7,518 Stanislaus 6,109 San Benito 5,293 Los Angeles 4,875 Tulare 4,163 Solano 3,996 Alameda 3,526 Kings ..„ 3,403 Fresno 2,665 Yolo 2,594 Merced 2,591 San Bernardino .... 2,566 Contra Costa 2,298 Santa Cruz 2,125 Kern 1,915 Madera 1,874 Monterey 1,780 Glenn 1,360 San Joaquin 1,303 Other Counties 6,41< Total 98,681 Each dot represents 100 acres. Per cent 19.1 11.6 7.6 .2 5.4 4.9 4.2 4.1 3.6 3.5 2.7 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.3 2.2 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.4 1.3 6.5 100.0 Data compiled from table 10. Fig. 3. — Although apricots are grown in forty-seven of the fifty-eight counties in the state, the large producing areas are confined to a comparatively few counties. 10 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Of the 98,681 acres of apricots in California in 1927, exclusive of 1926 plantings, 80,724 were in bearing and 17,957 were not in bearing. The relative distribution of the 80,724 bearing acres is shown in figure 4. Santa Clara is the leading apricot producing county at the present time, followed by Ventura, Riverside, Stanislaus, and San Benito in the order named. Over one-half of the total bear- ing acreage in the state in 1927 was in these five counties. Percentage of California's Bearing Apricot Acreage in Main Apricot-Producing Counties, 1927 Fig. counties. 80724 100.0 — Over one-half of California's bearing apricot acreage is in five Data from table 10. By grouping the counties by districts 5 we find that approximately 37 per cent of the bearing acreage is in the coast district, 28 per cent in southern California, 24 per cent in the San Joaquin Valley, and 10 per cent in the Sacramento Valley. The bearing acreage of apricots in California increased from 58,369 acres in 1921 to 80,724 acres in 1927, an increase of 22,355 acres, or 38.3 per cent. In analyzing this increase, it is desirable to know how many acres have come in or gone out of bearing in each of the important apricot-producing counties and the relative rapidity of the changes. 6 The counties included in the various districts are given in table 10. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 11 Absolute Increase or Decrease in Bearing Acreage of Apricots in Main Apricot-Producing Counties in California from 1921 to 1927 o ° I 11.11. -5 • 10 U r-t O CO IO rj< CM CM CM U U U s > *s o « a § 9 CO K> £ < Fig. 5. — Almost one-half of the total increase in bearing acreage since 1921 has occurred in the three counties of Santa Clara, Stanislaus, and San Benito. Data from table 10. Figure 5 shows the absolute changes in the bearing acreage in the twenty most important apricot-producing counties. Four (Monterey, Fresno, Alameda, and Los Angeles) of these twenty counties had a smaller bearing acreage in 1927 than -in 1921. Each of the other sixteen counties has experienced an increase. The increases in Santa Clara, Stanislaus, and San Benito counties were particularly large. Approximately 47 per cent of the total increase in the state occurred in these three counties. 12 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Each of the four main districts in the state had a larger bearing acreage in 1927 than in 1921. Of the total increase in the state of 22,355 bearing acres, 43 per cent occurred in the San Joaquin Valley, 35 per cent in the coast district, 11 per cent in the Sacramento Valley, and 10 per cent in southern California. As compared to the total bearing acreage in the state, the coast district and the Sacramento Valley had approximately the same proportion in 1927 as in 1921, the San Joaquin Valley had 7 per cent more, and southern California 7 per cent less. Percentage Increase or Decrease in the Bearing Acreage of Apricots in the Main Apricot-Producing Counties in California from 1921 to 1927 125 t S loo « 75 50 25 -25 III I I III I I III II 4i CO V3 ro o CO o o CM C- tO >* o to lO r4 LO |H CD O to ».c n CO •<* c- in Tf CM o> ■* to CM CM rH iH r-i 1 1 r-» l-t C t> lO 0* CM «H |H r-\ r-t 1 a, o -P g o « «s u H O G •H t) to >, 3 4> 3 «s © 2 d rH 43 rt o n* •o c >» 4> e r-» fl d o oJ o u a> d g> 8 % et d o o Jh ID e o u o •Cj U PQ •"3 (4 3 CO ^ at PQ c o c 0) < o o 9 +> os G O 4» 4i IP O 4* aS 4> S3 y u £ r-t S (4 r4 c c C > C g c O a O 3 rt a> cJ O 14 a 3 CO o CO w >* CO co > Ui K CO co co 3 K. «<. -4 Fig. 6. — The three counties of Merced, Madera, and Stanislaus, located in the San Joaquin Valley, have experienced the greatest percentage increase in bearing acreage of apricots since 1921. Data from table 10. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 13 The relative changes in bearing acreage by counties are shown in figure 6. Merced County has experienced the largest percentage increase during the past six years ; Madera, Stanislaus, Contra Costa, Tulare, San Benito, and Kern follow in the order named. The bearing acreage in each of these seven counties has more than doubled since 1921. Nine of the other thirteen counties listed in figure 6 have also experienced an increase in bearing acreage, the increase ranging from 5 per cent in Solano County to 92 per cent in Yolo County. The percentage increases in bearing acreage since 1921 in the principal apricot-producing districts are as follows: San Joaquin Valley, 95 per cent; Sacramento Valley, 45 per cent; coast district, 35 per cent; and southern California, 11 per cent. Percentage of California's Non-Bearing Apricot Acreage in Main Apricot-Producing Counties, 1927 Total Fig. 7. — During recent years large plantings of apricots have been made in Ventura, Santa Clara, and Biverside counties. Data from table 10. Figure 7, which gives the non-bearing acreage by counties in 1927, shows the location of recent plantings of apricots. A comparison of this figure with figure 4, page 10, shows that recent plantings have generally been made in counties which already contained a large acreage of apricots. Some important exceptions, however, should be 14 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION noted. Contra Costa County is fourth in non-bearing acreage but nineteenth in bearing acreage. On the other hand, Alameda County is ninth in bearing acreage, but nineteenth in non-bearing acreage. Glenn, Colusa, and Sacramento counties, located in the Sacramento Valley, are sixth, ninth, and twelfth, respectively, in non-bearing acreage, but are not even listed in the twenty most important counties in bearing acreage. Batio of Non-Bearing to Bearing Apricot Acreage, Main Apricot-Producing Counties, California, 1927 200 160 120 80 40 Fig. 8. — The percentage increase in bearing acreage during the next few years is likely to be greatest in the counties in which the ratio of non-bearing to bearing acreage is high. Data from table 10. Approximately 31 per cent of the non-bearing acreage is in the coast district, 29 per cent in southern California, 24 per cent in the San Joaquin Valley, and 16 per cent in the Sacramento Valley. Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley each contain about the same percentage of the total non-bearing acreage as they do of the total bearing acreage, but the coast district contains 6 per cent less, and the Sacramento Valley 6 per cent more, of the total non- bearing acreage than of the total bearing acreage. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 15 Figure 6, page 12, shows the relative changes which have taken place in the bearing acreage in the 20 most important apricot- producing counties during the past 5 years. Figure 8, which gives the number of non-bearing acres for each 100 bearing acres, furnishes some indication of the probable relative changes in these twenty counties during the next few years. It seems likely that the per- centage increase in bearing acreage will be greatest in such counties as Madera, Contra Costa, and Kern, in which the ratio of non-bearing to bearing acreage is high, and that the percentage increase will be small, or that there may even be a decrease in those counties in which this ratio is low. Bearing Acreage of Apricots in California, 1914-1927, and Forecast of Bearing Acreage, 1928-1930 S 8 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 Bearing Acres Forecast o-f Bearing Acres niiiiiiiiiiiiir Fig. 9. — The bearing acreage of apricots in California is increasing rapidly. Data from California Cooperative Crop Reporting Service. The ratio of non-bearing to bearing acreage by districts is as follows : Sacramento Valley, 36 ; southern California, 23 ; San Joaquin Valley, 22; and the coast district, 18. These ratios indicate that the greatest percentage increase in bearing acreage during the next few years will be in the Sacramento Valley and the smallest percentage increase in the coast district. 16 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION For the state as a whole approximately 15 non-bearing acres are required to maintain a hundred acres in bearing. The ratio of non- bearing to bearing acres in 1927 was 22, which indicates that there will be a substantial increase in bearing acreage during the next few years. The amount of increase in each of the three years of 1928, 1929, and 1930, as estimated by the California Cooperative Crop Reporting Service, is shown by the shaded bars in figure 9. It is estimated that there will be approximately 93,900 bearing acres of apricots in 1930 or 13,200 acres more than at present. The absolute changes in the bearing acreage of apricots in the state during the past fourteen years are shown by the solid black bars in figure 9. Between 1915 and 1918 the bearing acreage remained prac- tically stationary at around 40,000 acres. Beginning in 1919 and continuing to the present time bearing acreage has increased steadily. In 1927 there were approximately twice as many acres of apricots in bearing as in 1918. Commercial Apricot Production, California. — The commercial pro- duction 6 of apricots in California from 1909 to 1926 is shown by the upper curve in figure 10. The general trend of production during this period has been upward. The normal yearly increase, as based upon the line of trend, amounted to approximately 3000 tons. The percentage increase in apricot production has been somewhat more than that of the United States' population, but much less than the percentage increase in the production of many California fruits. The direction of the trend of production is largely within the control of the growers ; a decrease in planting will normally cause it to increase less rapidly or to decline, an increase in planting will normally cause it to increase more rapidly. The fluctuations in production from year to year, however, are much less capable of control, since they are caused, in the main, by variations in climatic conditions. Apricots bloom early and are therefore subject to damage by frost. Particu- larly dry years, such as occurred in 1924, tend to reduce yields. Heavy rains in the spring and summer favor the development of brown rot at ripening time. It will be noted in figure 10 that the fluctuations in production are relatively large, the average fluctuation for the eighteen-year-period being 21 per cent. The lower curve in figure 10, representing the bearing acreage of apricots, enables one to compare the changes in the bearing acreage with the changes in apricot production. Between 1910 and 1918 bear- s Commercial production as used in this publication includes only the dried and canned outputs and the fresh interstate shipments. Accurate estimates of the amount of fresh apricots consumed within the state are not available; see page 30. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 17 ing acreage increased only slightly. During the same period pro- duction increased somewhat more than bearing acreage, probably because a larger proportion of the trees were in full bearing at the end of the period than at the beginning. Since 1918 bearing acreage has increased rapidly, but this increase has not as yet resulted in a corresponding increase in production. The 1914-1918 average yield Commercial Production and Bearing Acreage of Apricots, California, 1909-1926 Production S 100 tons °» Bearing Acreage 100 acres 2000 io co 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 •* o> in rl« O O » «# <* w o to O 00 O t- Oi O in a ^ o> in CO C-- CO CM »* ■<* •<*« in co co o> Ol o> o> in to o co o> in co co c- Production ^ ^ a r St 'Cc/A or Tr&i G i s» I \ — — 1 / \ ^ ** V / \ / \ f •^ f \ f \ f / 1 V* ark } 9 < 3cr< ?agi ? Fig. 10. — The rapid increase in bearing acreage since 1918 has not yet resulted in a corresponding increase in production. Data on production from table 11. Data on bearing acreage from California Cooperative Crop Reporting Service. Acreage data for 1911—1913 are not available. per acre, computed by dividing the commercial production by the bearing acreage, was 3.2 tons as compared with the 1922-1926 average yield of 2.3 tons. This decline in yield was caused in the main by two conditions, both of which were a result of the rapid expansion of apricot acreage. They are: (1) a relatively large proportion of the trees listed as bearing in the years from 1922 to 1926 were not yet in full bearing, and (2) the newer plantings were more generally made in sections less favorable to high production. Indications are that the first factor mentioned has been the dominant influence in the failure of production to keep pace with the rapid expansion in bearing 18 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Commercial Production of Dried, Canned, and Fresh Apricots, California, 1909-1926 (Equivalent Fresh Tons) Dried Canned Interstate shipments to to to CM U5 CM CO 00 to «o Fig. 11. — The output of canned apricots has increased faster than the output of dried apricots or than the interstate shipments of fresh apricots. Data from table 11. BUL. 423] APRICOTS 19 acreage. The full effects of the earlier increase in bearing acreage would normally have been felt during the past few years. However, their influence upon production was largely offset by the sub-normal climatic conditions of the past three years. If the present acreage comes into full bearing and if favorable climatic conditions prevail during the next few years, there will undoubtedly be a substantial increase in production. Figure 11 shows the relative changes in the production of dried and canned apricots and fresh interstate shipments from 1909 to 1926. The lines of secular trend indicate that the normal output of canned apricots has increased over seven times as rapidly as the normal out- put of dried apricots and almost twice as rapidly as the normal interstate shipments of fresh apricots. Canned apricots have also experienced wider fluctuations in output from year to year than have dried apricots or fresh interstate shipments. The average fluctuation in the outputs of these three kinds of apricots has been as follows : canned, 42 per cent; dried, 28 per cent; and fresh interstate ship- ments, 30 per cent. Percentage of California's Commercial Apricot Production Dried, Canned, and Shipped Fresh, Average 1909-1913 and 1922-1926 _ , Per cent Interstate Dried C anned shipments 10 20 30 40 60 60 70 80 90 KO ^ n i ATerae* 1909-1915 79.6 17.9 2.6 Arerage 1922-1928 67.4 29.6 3.1 y///}^//^//^///^///^//^///}^. < i i > > t < > > > > >\ > > > >\ > > > > * > ) > n i \ Fig. 12. — During the past five years dried apricots have been relatively less important, while canned apricots and interstate shipments of fresh apricots have been relatively more important, than during the five-year period from 1909 to 1913. Data from table 11. Utilization of the California Apricot Crop. — The bulk of the apricot crop in California is used for drying and canning. The five- year average commercial production, 1922-1926, was 157,474 tons, of which 67.4 per cent was dried, 29.5 per cent canned, and 3.1 per cent shipped fresh to eastern markets. In figure 12 it will be noted that important changes have taken place in the utilization of the crop. During the past five years dried apricots have been relatively less important, while canning apricots and interstate shipments of fresh apricots have been relatively more important than during the five- year period from 1909 to 1913. 20 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION DRIED APRICOTS The position of apricots in the dried fruit industry in California is shown in table 2. The normal output of dried apricots is larger than the normal output of dried figs, apples, or pears, but is much smaller than the normal output of raisins or prunes and is slightly smaller than the normal output of dried peaches. Although the tonnage of dried apricots increased 17.8 per cent from 1910-1914 to 1921-1925, its relative position in the dried-fruit industry declined from 7.9 per cent of the total dried-fruit output in 1910-1914 to 4.5 per cent in 1921-1925. Dried apricots were responsible for only 1.3 per cent of the total increase of 209,275 tons in the dried fruit output in Cali- fornia between 1910-1914 and 1921-1925, while raisins and prunes were responsible for 68.2 per cent and 27 per cent respectively. TABLE 2 California's Dried-Fruit Output, Average 1910-1914 and 1921-1925 Average 1910-1914 Average 1921-1925 Change from 1910-1914 to 1921-1925 Percentage increase or decrease from Tons Per cent Tons Per cent Tons Per cent of total change 1910-1914 to 1921-1925 75,900 68,300 25,800 15,450 5,155 3,300 2,500 38.6 34.8 13.1 7.9 2.6 1.7 1.3 218,400 124,800 23,140 18,200 9,620 - 8,550 2,970 53.8 30.8 5.7 4.5 2.4 2.1 0.7 +142,500 + 56,500 - 2,660 + 2,750 + 4,465 + 5,250 + 470 +68.2 +27.0 - 1.3 + 1.3 + 2.1 + 2.5 + 0.2 +187.7 + 82.7 - 10.3 + 17.8 + 86.6 +159.1 + 18.8 Total 196,405 100.0 405,680 100.0 +209,275 100.0 +106.6 Sources of data: Compiled from the California Fruit News except as follows: Raisins, from S. W. Shear and H. F. Gould, Economic Status of the Grape Indus- try, California Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. (in press). Prune average 1921-1925, from California Crop Report, 1925, pp. 26-27. Production of Dried Apricots. — Dried apricots are produced only in California. Figure 13 shows the production by years from 1909 to 1926. The normal increase in production during this period, as illustrated by the line of trend, amounted to 3,770 tons, or 27 per cent. The lowest production during this entire 18-year period occurred in 1920 when the tonnage was 42 per cent below normal ; and the largest production occurred in 1923 when the tonnage was 75 per cent above normal. The average variation from the normal production amounted to approximately 28 per cent. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 21 Dried Apricot Production, California, 1909-1926 o o CO WO O O cm o EH id o u> o io o> cm in o iH c-l rH tO 30 10 ,5^ rc//<5 - "7 ren \ ^ \ A \ f ^ M \ \ O O H CM IO «# O r-l *-« *H iH c-l O 0> C* O O O CO O) <3> tO 5* IO CM CM CM <7> Fig. 13. — The normal increase in the production of dried apricots during the past seventeen years has amounted to 27 per cent. Data from table 11. Exports of Dried Apricots. — There has been no general upward or downward trend in the exports of dried apricots during the past seventeen years (fig. 14). The average 1909-1913 exports amounted to 9,719 tons as compared to the average 1921-1925 exports of 9,813 tons, an increase of less than 100 tons or 1 per cent. The outstanding fact illustrated in figure 14 is the wide variation in exports from year to year, the average variation for this seventeen-year period being 48 per cent. Part of this variation has been caused by fluctuations in domestic production (see figure 13), but a larger part seems to have been caused by changing demand conditions in the foreign markets, since the percentage of the crop exported likewise shows considerable variation (fig. 15). Although the average exports during the past five years have equaled in amount the pre-war five-year average, the percentage of the crop exported has declined (fig. 15). From 1909 to 1913 an average of 68 per cent of the production was exported as compared to an average of 53 per cent from 1921 to 1925. Prior to the war the general tendency was toward increasing exports, both in absolute amount and in percentage of the crop. During the war exports 22 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION decreased absolutely and relatively, reaching a low point in 1917- 1918, when only 2,615 tons — 17 per cent of the 1917 crop — were exported. Immediately after the war, exports were larger than the pre-war average. Since 1919 there has been some decline in the per- centage of the crop exported, although the actual tonnage exported has tended to increase. United States' Exports of Drted Apricots, 1909-1925 (Crop year beginning July 1) 00 ** in t*- 00 r-l CM O fH to CO s o o o co e» CM •H CO <0 o oo s o> to t- CO iH r-» ^ CM to «tf CO in o> 20 in / \ / — - \ i \ 1 \ 6 9 J v / \ / V zi \ / \ / \ / i w \ _l \ i i / \ / / \ f \ / \ / \ / \ / / 1 ! \ / \ / \ / ! f / \ / \ f v / \ f \ / \ i •H CM to lO O) o •h CM to ^ in CM CM CM CM CM CM cn O o> O en O Fig. 14. — The average exports of dried apricots during the past five years are equal to, but no greater than, the average pre-war exports. The outstanding fact is the wide variation in exports from year to year. Data from U. S. Monthly Summary of Foreign Commerce, June issue. Main Foreign Markets for Dried Apricots. — The volume of dried apricots exported from the United States to the various foreign countries is shown in table 3. Germany was the most important market during the five-year period, 1922-1926, followed by Nether- lands and the United Kingdom. From 1910 to 1914, however, the United Kingdom was first in importance, Germany second, and France third. During this earlier period these three countries received Bul. 423] APRICOTS \ 23 68.7 per cent of our exports as compared to 47.4 per cent during the past five years. On the other hand, our exports to Netherlands, Den- mark, Sweden, Norway, and Canada increased from 22.3 per cent in 1910-1914 to 43 per cent in 1922-1926. TABLE 3 United States' Exports of Dried Apricots by Importing Countries, Average 1910-1914, Average 1922-1926, and 1926 (Year Ending June 30) Country Average 1910-1914 Tons Per cent Average 1922-1926 Tons Per cent 1926 Tons Per cent Germany Netherlands United Kingdom France Denmark Canada Sweden Belgium Norway Others 2,604 1,102 2,786 1,279 308 559 114 478 82 407 4.1 2,075* 1,793 1,590 976 862 641 488 475 434 479 21.2 18.3 16.2 10.0 8.8 6.5 5.0 4.8 4 4 4.8 1,973 2,032 1,327 466 854 566 388 560 284 21.8 22.4 14.6 5.1 9.4 6.2 4.3 6.2 3.1 6.9 Total. 9,719 100.0 9,813 100.0 100 *Four-year average 1923-1926. Sources of data: Average 1910-1914 compiled from Commerce and Navigation of the United States 1914. Average, 1922-1926, compiled from U. S. Monthly Summary of Foreign Commerce, June issues. Data for 1926 for Denmark and Sweden supplied by L. B. Gary, District Manager, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, San Francisco. Consumption of Dried Apricots. — As compared with the popula- tion, the consumption of dried apricots in the United States is very small. During the past five years the average per capita consumption amounted to only 0.15 of a pound of dried apricots or the equivalent of 0.8 of a pound of fresh apricots. Prices and Purchasing Power of Dried Apricots. — In order to determine whether the returns from the sale of apricots are high or low as compared to the things the apricot grower must buy, it is neces- sary to convert money prices to purchasing power. The best index available at present for doing this is the Bureau of Labor Statistics index of wholesale prices given in table 13, column X. The figure obtained by deflating the price of apricots by the corresponding index number indicates the value of apricots in exchange for all commodities at wholesale prices compared with pre-war exchange values. 24 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Percentage of United States' Dried Apricots Exported, 1909-1925 Fig. 15. — The percentage of the apricot crop exported has tended to decline. On an average, 53 per cent of the crop in the past five years has been exported as compared with 68 per cent from 1909 to 1913. Compiled from data in figures 13 and 14. Eelative Purchasing Power of California Dried Apricots, F.O.B. Growers : Shipping Points, 1909-1926 140 120 100 80 2 § * 8 / \ j / \ / N f ecuU yr Tj -enct V *** i J / h -\ r V y \ / \ f v y r \ / — \ -*^ f \ / r Fig. 16. — The changes in the purchasing power of dried apricots from year to year are similar to the changes in the purchasing power of canning and fresh apricots. Growers are normally able to buy more of other commodities with the money thay receive for a ton of apritos today than formerly. Data from table 13. BUL. 423] APRICOTS 25 Figure 16 shows the relative purchasing power of dried apricots from 1909 to 1926. During this period the purchasing power has tended to increase slowly, as is illustrated by the secular trend, which was 9 per cent higher in 1926 than in 1909. The actual values have fluctuated about the normal trend, being sometimes above, and some- times below it. The average fluctuation for the eighteen-year-period was 21.6 per cent, A comparison of figure 16 with figures 18 and 22 shows the close relationship which exists between the prices paid for dried, canning, and fresh apricots. It will be noted that a change in the price of one is generally accompanied by a similar change in the prices of the other two. This is because a large part of the apricot crop has a three- way outlet : it may be dried, canned, or shipped fresh. The proportion of the crop utilized in these three ways depends largely on the prices offered, and the possibility of increasing or decreasing the supply of each brings the prices of them into close adjustment. CANNED APRICOTS The position of apricots in the canned fruit industry in California is shown in table 4. Although ranking second, the average pack of apricots during the past five years has amounted to only 17.3 per cent of the total canned-fruit pack, while the pack of clingstone peaches has amounted to over one-half of the total. The average 1922-1926 pack of all fruits was 9,391,000 cases larger than the average 1910- 1914 pack. Almost 71 per cent of this increase of more than nine million cases is attributable to clingstone peaches as compared with 16 per cent to apricots and 10.7 per cent to pears. Production of Canned Apricots. — Practically all of the canned apricots are produced in California. 7 Figure 17 shows the canned pack in California from 1909 to 1926. In 1926 the normal pack, as based 7 A small tonnage of apricots is canned in Utah. According to Mr. J. F. Barker, Secretary of the Utah Canners' Association, the Utah packs for the past five years were as follows: 1922, 41,054 cases; 1923, 14,670 cases; 1924, 33,382 cases; 1925, 3,275 cases; and 1926, 70,838 cases. Mr. Barker points out that the bulk of the apricots produced in Utah are consumed fresh and that only the surplus above the fresh market requirements is canned. The future apricot pack in Utah, however, will probably be considerably larger as growers have planted quite a large acreage to apricots during the past few years. According to the reports of the Northwest Canners' Association there have been no apricots canned in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho since 1922. The available statistics of the earlier packs in these states are as follows: Oregon, 6,815 cases in 1919; Washington, 325 cases in 1919, 1591 eases in 1920, and 63 cases in 1921; Idaho, 480 cases in 1922. 26 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION upon the line of trend, was 1,729,750 cases larger than the normal pack in 1909, an increase of 205 per cent in 17 years. Fluctuations in the pack from year to year have been particularly large, the average fluctuation from 1909 to 1926 being 42 per cent. The increase in the canned pack in California has been much greater than the increase in the United States' population. The 1910- 1914 average per capita production of canned apricots in equivalent of the fresh product amounted to 0.4 of a pound as compared with 0.82 of a pound on the average from 1922 to 1926. TABLE 4 California's Canned-Fruit Pack, Average 1910-1914, Average 1922-1926, and 1926 Average 1910-1914 Average 1922-1926 1926 Change from 1910- 1914 to 1922-1926 Percentage increase or decrease from Fruit 1,000 cases* Per cent 1,000 cases* Per cent 1,000 cases* Per cent 1,000 cases* Per cent of total change 1910-1914 to 1922-1926 Peaches, clingstone . 1,903 1,058 736 927 222 139 384 35.4 19.7 13.7 17.3 4.1 2.6 7.2 8,543 2,554 1,740 1,033 423 169 298 57.9 17.3 11.8 7.0 2.9 1.1 2.0 13,655 3,390 2,044 817 527 229 313 65.1 16.2 9.7 3.9 2.5 1.1 1.5 +6,640 +1,496 +1,004 + 106 + 201 + 30 - 86 +70.7 +16.0 +10.7 + 1.1 + 2.1 + 0.3 - 0.9 +348.9 +141.4 Pears , Peaches, freestone... +136.4 + 11.4 + 90.5 + 21.6 - 22.4 Total 5,369 100.0 14,760 100.0 20,975 100.0 +9,391 100.0 +174.9 * All grades and sizes. Sources of data: Years 1910-1914, 1925 Annual of the California Packing Corporation. Years 1922-1926, Canners' League of California, Bui. 762-A, Jan. 4, 1927. Since approximately one-third of the pack is exported, the annual per capita consumption of ca,nned apricots in equivalent of the fresh product amounts to only 0.55 of a pound at the present time. Exports of Canned Apricots. — The average exports of canned apricots during the past three years amounted to 475,157 cases, or 25 per cent of the average pack (table 5). During this period the percentage of the canned-apricot pack going into export trade has decreased; 30 per cent of the 1925 pack was exported as compared with 34 per cent of the 1924 pack and 37 per cent of the 1923 pack. The amount of apricots exported during the crop year of 1925 was 6 per cent smaller than the amount exported during the crop year of 1924, but was 13 per cent larger than during the crop year of 1923. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 27 Canned Apricot Pack, California, 1909-1926 CO O © in CM 00 to to to r-l CO t- to lO CM rH O CM g t~ O O 00 CO t o CM CO to CO CM U> to o> r-l 1ft t- to o> o> S§ CO o o o> to o> to to CM to to rH to in o iH to iH rH rH rH CM CM ^ CM rH to rH CM CM to ,4000 3000 2000 1000 900 800 700 600 500 —- •«- Y- <5e culc r 1 "ren \L * O rH O rH rH Oi 0» CJ> o rH CM to ^ in CO CM CM CM CM CM CM CM o 0> o> o> o» en ax Fig. 17. — The output of canned apricots has increased rapidly. Data from table 11. TABLE 5 United States' Exports of Canned Apricots, 1924-1926 Year ending June 30 Cases Percentage of U. S. production exported Average 1924-1926 644,100 33 1924 578,800 696,900 656,600 37 34 30 1925 1926 Sources of data: Compiled from U. S. Monthly Summary of Foreign Com- merce, June issues. Pounds converted to cases on the basis of 45 pounds to the case. Prior to January 1, 1923, exports of canned apricots were not listed separately. 28 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION TABLE 6 United States' Exports of Canned Apricots by Importing Countries, 1923-1925 Average 1923-1925 1923 1924 1925 Country Cases Per cent Cases Per cent Cases Per cent Cases Per cent 602,200 21,900 19,700 11,400 9,100 49,600 84.3 3.1 2.8 1.6 1.3 6.9 478,300 20,800 14,900 6,000 6,100 46,600 83.5 3.6 2.6 1.1 1.1 8.1 699,600 20,000 17,500 18,300 14,800 56,500 84.6 2.4 2.1 2.2 1.8 6.9 628,700 25,000 26,800 9,900 6,300 45,600 84.7 3.4 3.6 1.3 .8 6.2 Total 713,900 100.0 572,700 100.0 826,700 100.0 742,300 100.0 Sources of data: Commerce and Navigation of the United States. Pounds converted to cases on the basis of 45 pounds to the case. Eelative Purchasing Power of California Canning Apricots, F.O.B. Growers Shipping Points, 1909-1926 ton •81 ■ 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 t 8 3 f zcu/a r 7n ?ncf / ST" — 7 r~ Fig. 18. — Despite the rapid increase in the output of canned apricots, the relative purchasing power has tended to increase slightly. Data from table 13. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 29 Main Foreign Markets for Canned Apricots. — The United King- dom is our principal foreign market for canned apricots. During the past three years approximately 84 per cent of the exports have gone to that country (table 6). Canada has generally been our next most important market, followed by France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The amount of canned apricots imported by the various countries from the United States varies from year to year as shown in table 6. In 1925 exports to the United Kingdom, Canada, and France were larger than the three-year average exports, while exports to Belgium and the Netherlands were smaller. Purchasing Power of Canning Apricots. — The trend of purchasing power of canning apricots, f.o.b. growers' shipping points, shows a small increase during the eighteen-year period (fig. 18). In 1926 the line of trend was 7.3 per cent higher than in 1909. This small increase in purchasing power during the period when the output of canned apricots tripled indicates how rapidly the demand for canned apricots has increased. People in the United States are not only eating at least twice as many canned apricots as they did before the war, but they are paying more per can for them now than they did then. Interstate Shipments of Fresh Apricots, California, 1909-1926 10 U r-l tO CM •H O «* CM cm m •H 00 tO CM tO r-l O o> CO O r-l <0 lO rH CM O «o 5j« CM 800 700 600j 500 400r 300 200 100 • ! .— - -- *"""** ^J« K ecut 'ar Tre nd CJ> O «H CM O r-l r-l r-\ o> to lO o> o rH CM to ^ to OS o> o> o> o> O) Fig. 19. — The interstate shipments of fresh apricots have tended to increase less rapidly than canned apricots but more rapidly than dried apricots. Data from table 11. Shipments for years 1909-1910 corrected to 26,000 lbs. minimum. 30 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION FRESH APRICOTS California's Interstate Fresh- Apricot Shipments. — California's interstate shipments of fresh apricots from 1909 to 1926 are shown in figure 19. During this period the secular trend of shipments increased 113 per cent. The normal increase per year, as based upon the line of trend, has amounted to 14.2 cars. The actual shipments show considerable variation from the long-time trend; the average variation for the eighteen-year period being approximately 30 per cent. Declining shipments extending through three or more years have occurred three times in the past eighteen years: 1911-1913, 1918-1922, and 1924-1926. The recovery from the two earlier periods of declining shipments was very rapid. Seasonal Variation in California's Interstate Shipments of Fresh Apricots. — The shipping season for fresh apricots normally extends for eight weeks, from the middle of May to the middle of July. 8 The bulk of the apricots, however, are shipped during the third and fourth weeks (fig. 20). During the past three years an average of 65.6 per cent has been shipped during this period. The tendency during the past three years has been to ship a relatively larger amount during these two weeks; in 1924, 51.2 per cent were shipped; in 1925, 66.4 per cent; and in 1926, 79.4 per cent. Local Consumption of Fresh Apricots Is Large. — Accurate figures on the amount of fresh apricots consumed within the state are not available, but the volume is undoubtedly large. According to the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, the carlot unloads of apricots in San Francisco and Los Angeles in 1926 were 195 and 93 respectively. 9 These carlot unloads, particularly in Los Angeles, were augmented by heavy truck receipts. A conservative estimate is that four times as many apricots were received in Los Angeles in 1926 by truck as by rail. These figures indicate that a larger proportion of the fresh apricots are consumed within the state than are shipped to eastern markets. 8 The season, may be a week or ten days earlier or later than this. In 1925, for example, the season was ten days earlier. 9 Carl J. Hansen of the San Francisco office of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics estimates that not more than 10 per cent of the 1926 carlot unloads of apricots in San Francisco were sent to the canneries; and Homer A. Harris of the Los Angeles office of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics estimates that none of the 1926 carlot unloads of apricots in Los Angeles were sent to the canneries. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 31 Percentage of California's Interstate Fresh-Apricot Shipments Shipped by Weeks, Average 1924-1926 © © * 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 12 3 4 5 6 7 Weeks in Shipping Season , May Juno # July- Fig. 20. — The shipping season for fresh apricots is relatively short. Data from table 12. California Fresh Apricots Are Not Widely Distributed. — Figure 21 shows the relative distribution of the interstate shipments of fresh apricots from northern California 10 in 1926. It will be noted that the bulk of the apricots are sold in a comparatively few states. In 1926 approximately 77 per cent of interstate shipments from northern California were sold in the four states of New York, Illinois, Pennsyl- vania, and Ohio, and 40 per cent in New York alone. This limited distribution is largely a result of the extreme perishability of fresh apricots. The necessity for handling them quickly makes it desirable to sell them in the few large auction markets rather than in the many smaller private-sale markets. The experience of large marketing organizations has been that the large markets pay more for fresh apricots than the small markets. io Figures on the distribution of the interstate shipments of apricots from central California are not available. In general, however, the distribution is much the same as that from northern California. Interstate shipments from southern California amount to only two or three cars a year. 32 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION • *> •«* O "-H O <+H CD bjo +3 a .3 3 fH g CD Q b3 ^ ^ to O Ct> o ° V •- • ^ •N •a •*! 5 • • ~- ••? ° 53 "S'PH OD a . CU o «3 rt CM 15 * . ° s Bul. 423] APRICOTS 33 Washington Is Becoming a More Important Apricot-Producing State. — There has been a considerable increase in the planting of apricots in Washington during recent years. In 1926, the total apricot acreage in that state amounted to 2,760 acres 11 as compared with 756 acres in 1920. Since a considerable proportion of this acre- age is not yet in bearing, there will probably be a substantial increase in production during the next few years. Washington's production, however, is small as compared with that of California. In 1926 Washington's total production amounted to only 2,400 tons, while the commercial production in California amounted to approximately 158,300 tons. TABLE 7 Carlot Shipments and Unloads of California Apricots and Certain Competing Fruits Carlot shipments U. S. Carlot unloads during June, 1926 May 16- June 12, 1926 May 31- June 27, 1925 New York City San Francisco Los Angeles Apricots 248* 368* 95 140 58 Apples 1,668 7,475 l,152f 545J 4,638 449 1,169 7,751 2,005 845 9,208 974f 955* 3,249 4,251 1,245 1,086 10,430 542 1,694 339 315J 988 567 739 457 19 169 30 95 40 23 113 124 Cantaloupes 298 Cherries 47 Deciduous fruit (mixed) 93 Oranges 1 Peaches 83 Plums and prunes 76 Strawberries Watermelons 1,120 Total 27,100 32,611 5,736 629 1,900 * California interstate shipments. f Includes cannery stock. t Includes some apricots. Sources of data: Carlot shipments of melons and fruits other than apricots from issues of Crops and Markets, 1926. Carlot shipments of apricots from the California Fruit News. Carlot unloads from mimeographed reports of the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, issued by the New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles offices. Although all of Washington's apricots are marketed fresh, they do not compete seriously with the fresh apricots shipped from Cali- fornia. The shipping season in California is generally over before the beginning of the shipping season in Washington. Furthermore, most of the apricots from Washington are marketed in the northwest- ern states, while most of California's apricots are marketed in the eastern states. 11 Seventh Biennial Eeport of the Washington State Department of Agricul- ture, p. 45. 34 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Heavy Shipments of Certain Fresh Fruits Compete with Califor- nia's Fresh Apricots. — California's fresh apricots meet with intense competition from the shipments of certain fresh fruits in the United States; although the peaks of shipments of these products generally come at different times than the peak of California's apricot ship- ments. Approximately 95 per cent of 262 cars of apricots shipped from California in 1926 moved between May 16 and June 12. During this same period nearly 27,000 cars of other fresh fruits which compete more or less directly with apricots were shipped from points in the United States (table 7). The most intense competition in 1926 came from cantaloupes and strawberries. In 1925 the competition from strawberries was considerably less, but the competition from peaches and watermelons was much greater. Purchasing Power of Fresh Apricots. — The demand for fresh apricots has increased substantially during the past eighteen years. Despite a normal increase of 113 per cent in interstate shipments from California, the trend of purchasing power was 29 per cent higher in 1926 than in 1909 (fig. 22). A comparison of figure 22 with figure 19, page 29, indicates that the variations in purchasing power from year to year are caused in the main by variations in shipments. Large shipments are generally, although not always, accompanied by low purchasing power, and vice versa. Relative Purchasing Power of California Royal Apricots, F.O.B. Growers' Shipping Points, 1909-192G •3.2 S£ P S 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 Fig. 22. — The demand for fresh apricots has increased even faster than pro- duction. Data from table 13. — "i K' "\" \* ■}Co/a r 77- znd o» < O r o> C -* i n < •* < -i t 7> < * t H r t -4 r < ( -> ! -* < 7) :> M ■A M 3> Hi < N C Bul.423] APRICOTS 35 APPENDIX I Foreign Apricot Situation The available information indicates that the countries of Australia, Union of South Africa, Syria, and Persia are the only ones, besides the United States, that produce apricots to any considerable extent. Available data regarding the situation in these countries are very fragmentary. The following information, though far from complete, gives some indication of the situation. Australia, — The available production figures of dried apricots in Australia 12 are as follows : Year Tons 1920-21 643 1921-22 486 1922-23 1051 1923-24 585 Figures for the last two years are not available. Exports of dried apricots from Australia amounted to 450 tons in 1922-23 and 34 tons in 1923-24. The United Kingdom received 90 per cent of the exports in 1922-23 and 75 per cent in 1923-24. 13 The Australian canned-apricot pack for the years from 1922-23 to 1925-26 14 is given below: Year Dozen Tins 1922-23 245,244 1923-24 281,194 1924-25 413,150 1925-26 271,350 12 U. S. D. A. Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Foreign Crops and Markets, 13: 761. 1926. !3 Letter from E. S. Hollingsliead, Foodstuffs Division, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. 14 U. S. Dept. Commerce, Foodstuffs 'Round the World — Canned and Dried Fruits, Feb. 11, 1927, p. 1. 36 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION Union of South Africa. — In 1925 there were 2,169,340 apricot trees in the Union of South Africa, of which 1,145,280 were in bearing and 1,024,060 were not in bearing. 15 The high ratio of non-bearing to bearing trees indicates that there will be a substantial increase in production during the next few years. Production of dried apricots in the Union of South Africa for the years from 1920-21 to 1923-24 16 are given below : Year Tons 1920-21 80 1921-22 490 1922-23 572 1923-24 370 Data for the last two years are not available. Exports of dried apricots from the Union of South Africa mounted to 294 tons in 1924, 359 tons in 1925, and 390 tons in the first five months of 1926. Newfoundland and the United Kingdom are the main destinations of exports. 17 Syria. — According to R. S. Hollingshead, 17 the best available statistics show that Syria produces about 17,000 tons of fresh apricots a year, of which 600 to 750 tons are dried and 5,000 to 7,500 tons are used in making apricot paste. Exports of dried apricots from Syria were as follows: 1921, 283 tons; 1922, 1241 tons; and 1923, 651 tons. About 75 per cent of these exports go to Egypt and consequently do not compete with California apricots to any considerable extent. Persia. — The estimated production of dried apricots in Persia in 1925 was 3000 tons. 18 The exports from Persia for the year ending March 20, 1925, amounted to 1941 tons, of which 1815 tons were exported to Russia. Practically none of the Persian apricots are consumed in the more important California foreign markets. is Stevenson, P. J., Report of the 1925 Census of South Africa's Fruit Trees (mimeo.), Johannesburg, South Africa. 16 U. S. D. A. Bureau of Agricultural Economics, Foreign Crops and Markets, 13: 761. 1926. 17 Letter from R. S. Hollingshead, Foodstuffs Division, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce. 18 U. S. D. A., Bureau of Agricultural Economics, The Dried Fruit Industry in Persia (mimeo.), April 22, 1926. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 37 Foreign Tariffs. — The rates of import duty levied by the foreign countries which are important markets for United States apricots are given in table 8. TABLE 8 Approximate Import Duties on United States Apricots in Certain Foreign Countries, 1926 Country Dried Canned 3 . 3 cents per pound 25 per cent ad valorem Yt cent per pound . 1853 cent per pound 1.08 cent per pound 8 per cent ad valorem 7 cents per pound 6.1 cents per pound $1.70 per 100 pounds 7% cents per pound 23^ cents per pound 6. 1 cents per pound France 2 . 7 cents per pound Germany 16 cents per pound 8 per cent ad valorem 10. 7 cents per pound 4.8 cents per pound United Kingdom $2.84 per 100 pounds* * Or the importer may elect to pay duty based upon the quantity and quality of the sugar contained in the apricots. Data compiled from records furnished by L. B. Gary, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, San Francisco. The preferential treatment accorded apricots from Australia and the Union of South Africa by Canada and the United Kingdom is given in table 9. TABLE 9 Preferential Duties Paid by Australia and the Union of South Africa, Compared with Duties Paid by the United States on Apricots Imported into Canada and the United Kingdom, 1926 Exporting country Importing country Australia Union of South Africa United States Canada: Dried 10 per cent ad valorem Yz cent per pound Free $1 . 79 per 100 pounds 17H per cent ad valorem \ % A cents per pound Free $1.79 per 100 pounds United Kingdom: Dried $1.70 per 100 pounds $2.84 per 100 pounds Data compiled from records furnished by L. B. Gary, Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce, San Francisco. 38 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION APPENDIX II Tables table 10 Apricot Acreage, California by Counties, Bearing Acreage, 1921-1927, and Non-bearing Acreage, 1927 County Bearing acreage Non- bearing acreage 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1927* Coast District 22,267 23,926 24,255 25,087 26,400 28,890 30,049 5,484 Alameda 3,600 400 31 25 1,500 30 2,000 540 54 12,297 1,750 40 3,995 450 34 35 1,976 30 2,644 598 67 12,297 1,750 50 3,995 500 35 42 1,800 30 2,800 664 75 12,514 1,750 50 3,995 550 36 50 1,600 30 3,500 710 83 12,733 1,750 50 3,749 600 39 55 1,400 30 4,000 824 103 13,700 1,850 50 3,502 800 42 50 1,280 30 4,533 719 139 15,840 1,900 55 3,255 1,081 45 65 1,480 50 4,795 625 209 16,409 1,975 60 271 Contra Costa 1,217 30 Lake Marin 3 300 150 498 344 62 2,439 150 20 5,478 6,409 6,492 6,527 6,704 7,077 7,947 2,843 Butte 36 40 110 200 3,420 39 242 1,251 140 36 250 112 200 3,476 100 260 1,800 175 36 250 138 225 3,476 87 272 1,833 175 36 250 173 250 3,476 75 285 1,807 175 45 250 183 270 3,506 85 385 1,900 80 112 242 216 300 3,541 93 493 2,000 80 125 354 449 350 3,576 101 512 2,400 80 Colusa 500 Glenn 911 Sacramento 425 Solano 420 Sutter 65 Tehama 137 Yolo 194 Yuba 191 10,118 11,192 11,944" 12,609 13,889 16,022 19,743 4,2£0 Fresno 2,750 598 2,500 224 330 772 1,443 1,501 2,850 598 2,750 404 330 850 1,682 1,728 2,850 646 2,875 464 484 876 1,886 1,863 2,850 695 2,912 525 638 901 2,090 1,998 2,736 700 2,950 600 769 996 2,645 2,493 2,622 712 3,250 633 1,136 1,046 4,130 2,493 2,508 1,315 3,000 865 2,104 1,131 4,944 3,876 157 Kern 600 Kings 403 1,009 Merced 487 172 1,165 Tulare 287 Southern California 20,320 21,123 21,554 22,006 22,345 22,711 22,636 5,309 21 4,992 81 5,949 2,539 620 240 7,564 21 4,662 81 5,950 2,519 671 290 8,151 34 4,231 81 5,995 2,519 706 290 8,855 78 4,217 81 5,857 2,517 690 290 8,906 2 4,840 81 5,184 2,269 599 185 7,162 4,992 81 5,668 2,470 620 215 7,077 4,992 81 5,808 2,505 620 227 7,321 658 3 1,661 49 182 200 Ventura 2,554 Other Counties 186 225 248 271 292 332 349 41 Total 58,369 62,875 64,493 66,500 69,630 75,032 80,724 17,957 * 1926 plantings of 1,915 acres not included. Sources of data: Kevised figures compiled by N. I. Nielsen, California Cooper- ative Crop Eeporting Service. Bul. 423] APRICOTS 39 TABLE 11 Commercial Apricot Production, California, 1906-1926 Dried Canned Interstate shipments t Total equiva- lent fresh tons tons Percentage of total commercial production Year Dry tons Equiva- lent fresh tons Cases Equiv- alent fresh tons Cars Equiv- alent fresh tons Dried Canned Inter- state ship- ments I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X 1906 3,000 1,100 19,000 14,000 15,250 11,000 20,000 10,500 20,500 19,500 11,000 15,500 15,000 15,500 9,500 12,000 15,500 30,000 16,000 18,000 17,000* 16,500 6,050 104,500 77,000 83,875 60,500 110,000 57,750 112,750 107,250 60,500 85,250 82,500 85,250 52,250 66,000 85,250 165,000 88,000 99,000 93,500 516,550 444,075 1,412,550 865,010 941,790 1,008,150 1,023,235 982,790 1,335,235 981,190 1,327,770 2,356,553 2,233,314 4,395,204 2,312,020 1,150,514 3,569,918 1,562,298 2,050,405 2,196,680 3,390,418 9,392 8,074 25,683 15,727 17,123 18,330 18,604 17,869 24,277 17,840 24,141 42,846 40,606 79,913 42,037 20,918 64,908 28,405 37,280 39,940 61,644 16 71 232 208 290 224 196 158 382 392 290 403 441 420 312 285 193 681 500 401 262 176 781 2,552 2,288 3,190 2,688 2,352 1,896 4,584 4,704 3,480 4,836 5,292 5,040 3,744 3,420 2,316 8,172 6,000 4,812 3,144 26,068 14,905 132,735 95,015 104,188 81,518 130,956 77,515 141,611 129,794 88,121 132,932 128,398 170,203 98,031 90,338 152,474 201,577 131,280 143,752 158,288 63.3 40.6 78.7 81.0 80.5 74.2 84.0 74.5 79.6 82.7 68.6 64.2 64.3 50.0 53.3 73.0 55.9 81.8 67.0 68.9 59.1 36.0 54.2 19.3 16 6 16.4 22.5 14.2 23.0 17.2 13.7 27.4 32.2 31.6 47.0 42.9 23.2 42.6 14.1 28.4 27.8 38.9 .7 1907 5.2 1908 2.0 1909 2.4 1910 3.1 1911 3.3 1912 1.8 1913 2.5 1914 3.2 1915 3.6 1916 4 1917 3.6 1918 4.1 1919 3.0 1920 3.8 1921 3.8 1922 1.5 1923 4.1 1924 4.6 1925 3.3 1926 2.0 * Figure on dried production for 1926 subject to revision. t Includes only interstate shipments north of the Tehachapi Pass. Sources of data: Cols. I and V, California Fruit News, annual statistical numbers. Col. II, Conversion factor, 1 ton dried = 5.5 tons fresh. Col. Ill, Years 1906-1910 compiled from the California Fruit Grower, annual statistical numbers. Figures corrected by figuring all cases of No. 10 tins on basis of 6 cans per case. Years 1911-1925, California Packing Corporation, Calpak Annual, 1926, p. 6. Data given in this publication for the years 1911-1917 compiled from records furnished by H. C. Rowley, of the California Fruit News, and data for years 1918-1925 compiled from records furnished by the Canners' League of California. Year 1926, Canners' League of California, Bul. 762-A, January 4, 1927. Col. IV, Conversion factor, 55 cases canned == 1 ton fresh. Col. VI, Conversion factor, years 1906-1910, 1 car = 11 tons; years 1911- 1926, 1 car = 12 tons. 40 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION TABLE 12 Interstate Shipments of Fresh Apricots, California/ 1924-1926 by Weeks, 1924 1925 1926 Month Week ending Cars Week ending Cars Week ending Cars 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 1 7 72 134 121 110 42 6 6 16 23 30 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 46 128 138 56 19 12 1 15 22 29 5 12 19 26 3 10 17 1 20 93 115 July 20 9 2 2 Total 500 401 262 * Includes only shipments north of the Tehachapi California amount to only a few cars a year. Sources of data: California Fruit News. Pass. Interest-ate shipments from southern Bul. 423] APRICOTS 41 TABLE 13 Prices and Relative Purchasing Power of California Dried, Canning, and Fresh Apricots, F.O.B. Growers Shipping Points, 1909-1926 Dried apricots Canning apricots Fresh apricots (Royal) All Year Price, cents Relative Relative purchas- Price, dollars Relative Relative purchas- Price, cents Relative Relative purchas- com- modity index per pound price ing power per ton price ing power per crate price ing power I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X 1909 8.00 80 81 29 68 69 77 116 117 99 1910 8.25 83 81 28 63 61 45 68 66 103 1911 12.50 125 132 61 143 136 86 130 137 95 1912 8.00 80 79 31 73 72 67 101 100 101 1913 11.50 115 113 53 124 122 73 110 108 102 1914 10.00 100 100 40 94 94 60 91 91 100 1915 7.00 70 68 25 59 57 50 75 73 103 1916 12.50 125 97 48 113 88 106 160 124 129 1917 13.75 138 77 69 162 90 97 146 81 180 1918 14.50 145 73 59 138 70 93 140 71 198 1919 22.25 223 106 94 218 104 144 218 104 210 1920 19.25 193 84 102 240 104 196 296 127 230 1921 15.00 150 100 57 134 89 128 193 129 150 1922 19.00 190 125 85 200 131 144 218 143 152 1923 8.75 88 56 27 63 40 105 158 101 156 1924 13.25 133 88 59 138 91 113 170 112 152 1925 17.00 170 105 59 138 85 118 178 110 162 1926 19.00 190 123 70 164 106 146 220 143 154 Sources of data: Col. I, Compiled from prices paid for dried apricots, exclusive of off -grade stock, by large commercial packers and the California Prune and Apricot Growers' Association. There is usually a price differential of at least one cent per pound between dried apricots from the Santa Clara district and those from the San Joaquin Valley and southern California. Col. IV, Compiled from prices paid for apricots by various canneries. Prices given in this series are representative of the average prices for the state. In general, prices in the Santa Clara district, which includes the counties from Contra Costa south to San Benito, were from 5 to 15 per cent higher and prices in the other producing districts were from 10 to 20 per cent lower than the prices given in this series. Col. VII, Computed by subtracting selling charges of 7 per cent and trans- portation charges given in table 14 and 15 from New York and Chicago auction prices which were obtained from the following sources: Years 1909-1916, simple average of daily prices compiled from the California Fruit News; years 1917-1923, weighted average prices compiled from the New York Daily Fruit Eeporter and the Chicago Daily Fruit and Vegetable Eeporter; years 1924-1926, weighted average prices compiled by the California Fruit Exchange. Cols. II, V, VIII, Average 1910-1914 = 100. Cols. Ill, VI, IX, Relative prices deflated by the all commodity index. Col. X, Bureau of Labor Statistics Index converted to 1910-1914 base published in The Agricultural Situation. 42 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT STATION TABLE 14 Freight Rates on Apricots from California to Chicago and New York, 1909-1926 (via Ogden, Utah) Chicago New York 100 lbs. Car Crate 100 lbs. Car Crate 1909 $1.15 1.15 1.15 1.845 1.4832 1.9776 1.73 $276.00 276.00 299.00 307.97 385.63 514.18 449.80 $0,299 0.299 0.299 0.308 0.386 0.514 0.45 $1.45 1.40 1.15 1 1845 1.4832 1.9776 1.73 $348.00 336.00 299.00 307.97 385.63 514.18 449.80 $0,377 1910 0.364 June 8, 1911-Oct. 31, 1917 0.299 Nov. 1, 1917-June25, 1918* 0.308 June 25, 1918-Aug. 26, 1920* 0.386 Aug. 27, 1920-Dec. 31, 1921* 0.514 1922-1926 0.45 * Includes war tax of 3 per cent. Sources of data: Compiled from freight tariffs. Prior to June 8, 1911, the minimum freight weight was 24,000 pounds; since June 8, 1911, it has been 26,000 pounds. The billing weight of an apricot crate is 26 pounds. TABLE 15 Eefrigeration Eates on Apricots from Winter s-Vacaville to Chicago and New York, 1909-1926 (via Ogden, Utah) Chicago New York Car Crate Car Crate 1909-June 8, 1911 $85.00 85.00 75.00 77.25 92.70 90.00 $ .092 .085 .075 .077 .093 .09 $97.50 97.50 87.50 90.13 108.15 105.00 $ .106 Jan. 8, 1911-July 27, 1912 .098 July 27, 1912-Oct. 31, 1917 .086 1918-1919* .09 1920-1921* .108 1922-1926 .105 * Includes war tax of 3 per cent. Sources of data: Compiled from refrigeration tariffs. In figuring the refriger- ation rate per crate, the number of crates per car was determined by the minimum freight weight rather than by the minimum refrigeration weight. (See footnote, table 14.) STATION PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR FBEE DISTRIBUTION BULLETINS No. 253. Irrigation and Soil Conditions in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, California. 261. Melaxuma of the Walnut, "Juglans regia." 262. Citrus Diseases of Florida and Cuba Compared with Those of California. 263. Size Grades for Ripe Olives. 268. Growing and Grafting Olive Seedlings. 273. Preliminary Report on Kearney Vine- yard Experimental Drain. 275. The Cultivation of Belladonna in California. 276. The Pomegranate. 277. Sudan Grass. 278. Grain Sorghums. 279. Irrigation of Rice in California. 283. The Olive Insects of California. 294. Bean Culture in California. 304. A Study of the Effects of Freezes on Citrus in California. 310. Plum Pollination. 312. Mariout Barley. 313. Pruning Young Deciduous Fruit Trees. 319. Caprifigs and Caprification. 324. Storage of Perishable Fruit at Freez- ing Temperatures. 325. Rice Irrigation Measurements and Experiments in Sacramento Valley, 1914-1919. 328. Prune Growing in California. 331. Phylloxera-Resistant Stocks. 335. Cocoanut Meal as a Feed for Dairy Cows and Other Livestock. 339. The Relative Cost of Making Logs from Small and Large Timber. 340. Control of the Pocket Gopher in California. 343. Cheese Pests and Their Control. 344. Cold Storage as an Aid to the Mar- keting of Plums. 346. Almond Pollination. 347. The Control of Red Spiders in Decid- uous Orchards. 348. Pruning Young Olive Trees. 349. A Study of Sidedraft and Tractor Hitches. 350. Agriculture in Cut-over Redwood Lands. 352. Further Experiments in Plum Pollina- tion. 353. Bovine Infectious Abortion. 354. Results of Rice Experiments in 1922. 357. A Self-mixing Dusting Machine for Applying Dry Insecticides and Fungicides. 358. Black Measles, Water Berries, and Related Vine Troubles. 361. Preliminary Yield Tables for Second Growth Redwood. 362. Dust and the Tractor Engine. 363. The Pruning of Citrus Trees in Cali- fornia. 364. Fungicidal Dusts for the Control of Bunt. 365. Avocado Culture in California. 366. Turkish Tobacco Culture, Curing and Marketing. 367. Methods of Harvesting and Irrigation in Relation of Mouldy Walnuts. 368. Bacterial Decomposition of Olives dur- ing Pickling. 369. Comparison of Woods for Butter Boxes. No. 370. 371. 372. 373. 374. 375. 376. 377. 379. 380. 381. 382. 383. 385. 386. 387. 388. 389. 390. 391. 392. 393. 394. S95. 396. 397. 398. 400. 401. 402. 403. 404. 405. 406. 407. 408. 409. 410. 411. 412. 413. 414. Browning of Yellow Newtown Apples. The Relative Cost of Yarding Small and Large Timber. The Cost of Producing Market Milk and Butterfat on 246 California Dairies. Pear Pollination. A Survey of Orchard Practices in the Citrus Industry of Southern Cali- fornia. Results of Rice Experiments at Cor- tena, 1923. Sun-Drying and Dehydration of Wal- nuts. The Cold Storage of Pears. Walnut Culture in California. Growth of Eucalyptus in California Plantations. Growing and Handling Asparagus Crowns. Pumping for Drainage in the San Joaquin Valley, California. Monilia Blossom Blight (Brown Rot) of Apricot. Pollination of the Sweet Cherry. Pruning Bearing Deciduous Fruit Trees. Fig Smut. The Principles and Practice of Sun^ drying Fruit. Berseem or Egyptian Clover. Harvesting and Packing Grapes in California. Machines for Coating Seed Wheat with Copper Carbonate Dust. Fruit Juice Concentrates. Crop Sequences at Davis. Cereal Hay Production in California. Feeding Trials with Cereal Hay. Bark Diseases of Citrus Trees. The Mat Bean (Phaseolus aconitifo- lius). Manufacture of Roquefort Type Cheese from Goat's Milk. Orchard Heating in California. The Blackberry Mite, the Cause of Redberry Disease of the Himalaya Blackberry, and its Control. The Utilization of Surplus Plums. Cost of Work Horses on California The Codling Moth in Walnuts. Farm-Accounting Associations. The Dehydration of Prunes. Citrus Culture in Central California. Stationary Spray Plants in California. Yield, Stand and Volume Tables for White Fir in the California Pine Region. Alternaria Rot of Lemons. The Digestibility of Certain Fruit By- products as Determined for Rumi- nants. Factors Affecting the Quality of Fresh Asparagus after it is Harvested. Paradichlorobenzene as a Soil Fumi- gant. A Study of the Relative Values of Cer- tain Root Crops and Salmon Oil as Sources of Vitamin A for Poultry. The California Poultry Industry; a Statistical Study. Planting and Thinning Distances for Deciduous Fruit Trees. CIRCULARS No. 87. Alfalfa. 117. The Selection and Cost of a Small Pumping Plant. 127. House Fumigation. 129. The Control of Citrus Insects. 136. Melilotus indica as a Green-Manure Crop for California. 144. Oidium or Powdery Mildew of the Vine. 157. Control of the Pear Scab. 160. Lettuce Growing in California. 164. Small Fruit Culture in California. 166. The County Farm Bureau. 170. Fertilizing California Soils for the 1918 Crop. 173. The Construction of the Wood-Hoop Silo. 178. The Packing of Apples in California. 179. Factors of Importance in Producing Milk of Low Bacterial Count. 190. Agriculture Clubs in California. 199. Onion Growing in California. 202. County Organizations for Rural Fire Control. 203. Peat as a Manure Substitute. 209. The Function of the Farm Bureau. 210. Suggestions to the Settler in California. 212. Salvaging Rain-Damaged Prunes. 215. Feeding Dairy Cows in California. 217. Methods for Marketing Vegetables in California. 220. Unfermented Fruit Juices. 228. Vineyard Irrigation in Arid Climates. 230. Testing Milk, Cream, and Skim Milk for Butterfat. 231. The Home Vineyard. 232. Harvesting and Handling California Cherries for Eastern Shipment. 234. Winter Injury to Young Walnut Trees during 1921-22. 235. Soil Analysis and Soil and Plant Inter-relations. 236. The Common Hawks and Owls of California from the Standpoint of the Rancher. 237. Directions for the Tanning and Dress- ing of Furs. 238. The Apricot in California. 239. Harvesting and Handling Apricots and Plums for Eastern Shipment. 240. Harvesting and Handling Pears for Eastern Shipment. 241. Harvesting and Handling Peaches for Eastern Shipment. 243. Marmalade Juice and Jelly Juice from Citrus Fruits. 244 Central Wire Bracing for Fruit Trees. 245. Vine Pruning Systems. 247. Colonization and Rural Development. 248. Some Common Errors in Vine Prun- ing and Their Remedies. 249. Replacing Missing Vines. 250. Measurement of Irrigation Water on the Farm. 252. Supports for Vines. 253. Vineyard Plans. 254. The Use of Artificial Light to Increase Winter Egg Production. No. 255. Leguminous Plants as Organic Fertil- izer in California Agriculture. 256. The Control of Wild Morning Glory. 257. The Small-Seeded Horse Bean. 258. Thinning Deciduous Fruits. 259. Pear By-products. 261. Sewing Grain Sacks. 262. Cabbage Growing in California. 263. Tomato Production in California. 264. Preliminary Essentials to Bovine Tuberculosis Control. 265. Plant Disease and Pest Control. 266. Analyzing the Citrus Orchard by Means of Simple Tree Records. 267. The Tendency of Tractors to Riso in Front; Causes and Remedies. 269. An Orchard Brush Burner. 270. A Farm Septic Tank. 272. California Farm Tenancy and Methods of Leasing. 273. Saving the Gophered Citrus Tree. 274. Fusarium Wilt of Tomato and its Con- trol by Means of Resistant Varieties. 276. Home Canning. 277. Head, Cane, and Cordon Pruning of Vines. 278. Olive Pickling in Mediterranean Coun- tries. 279. The Preparation and Refining of Olive Oil in Southern Europe. 281. The Results of a Survey to Determine the Cost of Producing Beef in Cali- fornia. 282. Prevention of Insect Attack on Stored Grain. 283. Fertilizing Citrus Trees in California. 284. The Almond in California. 285. Sweet Potato Production in California. 286. Milk Houses for California Dairies. 287. Potato Production in California. 288. Phylloxera Resistant Vineyards. 289. Oak Fungus in Orchard Trees. 290. The Tangier Pea. 291. Blackhead and Other Causes of Loss of Turkeys in California. 292. Alkali Soils. 293. The Basis of Grape Standardization. 294. Propagation of Deciduous Fruits. 295. The Growing and Handling of Head Lettuce in California. 296. Control of the California Ground Squirrel. 298. The Possibilities and Limitations of Cooperative Marketing. 299. Poultry Breeding Records. 300. Coccidiosis of Chickens. 301. Buckeye Poisoning of the Honey Bee. 302. The Sugar Beet in California. 303. A Promising Remedy for Black Measles of the Vine. 304. Drainage on the Farm. 305. Liming the Soil. 306. A General Purpose Soil Auger and its Use on the Farm. 307. American Foulbrood and its Control. 308. Cantaloupe Production in California. The publications listed above may be had by addressing College of Agriculture, University of California, Berkeley, California. 17m-7,'27