CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE [Cire 18
and the recent plantings have scarcely been sufficient to replace the
acreage that will normally be taken out. It does not appear, therefore,
that there will be any further increase in the bearing acreage of
Freestones in California during the next few years. On the other
hand, there were very heavy plantings of peaches in the South and
in certain Middle Western states between 1921 and 1924. Many of
these plantings have not yet reached the full bearing age.
The story of peaches is similar to the story of many of the other
fruits in a greater or less degree.
Grapes.—Raisin and table grape prices have been unprofitably low
for several years. These low prices were a result of an enormous
increase in production. The increase in production, in turn, was
zaused chiefly by the relatively high prices of all classes of grapes
between 1919 and 1921. This three-year period was undoubtedly the
most prosperous three-year period in the history of the grape industry.
The high tide of prosperity greatly stimulated plantings. Within the
brief period of three years about 220,000 acres of vineyards were
planted in this state. and in one vear alone nearly 100.000 acres.
TABLE 4
BEARING ACREAGE OF CERTAIN FRUITS, CALIFORNIA
{Thousands of acres, i.e., 000 omitted)
1927 Foreesst 1929
RY
45
165
Crop
PATS eerie
TEER conmmssimessinsors
Prunes ........
Per cent change
+ 32.8
+- 28.9
Lr 07
1930
Table grapes ............
Juice grapes..............
Raisin grapes ...........
145
167
a5)
45
77
240
+ 6.0
-— 29
Data from California Cooperative Crop Reporting Service.
In addition to the increased production of raisins in California
there was a rapid expansion in production elsewhere in the world,
particularly in Australia. The world output of raisins is now about
25 per cent greater than average production before the war. The
normal raisin erops in foreign countries in the next few years are
not likely to be any smaller than the average of recent years, and
they may be even larger. It appears, therefore, that California raisins
in foreign markets are likely to meet competition from other raisin
exporting countries, at least as keen as in the past. While there will
probably be some decline in the bearing acreage of raisin grapes in
California by 1929 (see table 4), it is not likely to be sufficient to