Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-09-29
DaiIp Kfnnetsr :5ournaI.
ABOUT APPLES.
The GREAT ABUNDANCE or THE FRUIT,
AND THE PROBLEM OF DIsPosrxG or

The great abundance of apples which
appears on every hand this season puzzles
all the farmers as to how they shall realize
any profitable return from the crop, a
difficulty which they are almost sure to
encounter every '.even'. year. In some
quarters not more than s'niDepence' a
bushel can be got for all varieties Of good
quality. when bought on the tree. and the
cost Of picking and taking to market il
very poorly rewarded. Although some
very good apples are being carried 20 the
cider mill, the prospect is that cider will
bring only about - or even 2 per barrel,
and at least IS cents Of this amount must
be paid the mill-owner for his services.
And in this connection it should be borne
in mind that certain experts think they
have proved beyond question that cider
which is made in September according to
the ordinary process will not produce
vinegar. II is destitute Of alcohol and re-
quires the addition Of ten pounds Of brown
sugar to the barrel TO bring about the nee
essary chemical changes which work them
selves out in the cider distilled later in the
season. In view Of all these things the
question how to make the apple crop more
profitable become every year of more i'm
portancc. The cultivation of larger
amount Of winter fruit in proportion to
the whole crop will doubtless hel p matters
considerably. "a it rarely happens that
winter fruit well packed and carefully
housed fails TO bring the owner substan-
tial reward in the market. Again, the
better cqualizing Of the crop has been
prove Il possible by the experiments OF
many farmers who are cultivating large and
profitable .'odd year, orchards And the
heavy call ftr apples TO be imported to
EnglcDd is an element in the market which
must certainly sooner or later materially
affect il. This demand began - years
ago, when few barrels were sent over.
each apple being carefully wrapped in
tissue paper. and they rctailed in London
ut shilling apiece. "a cents of our money.
Since then the demand has grown to vast
proportions and the outgoing Boston and
New York steamers are now loaded down
with barrels OF apples. Shippers of tall
varieties for the foreign market should be
careful not 10 let the fruit remain on the
trees till il gets too RYE to be palatablr
on reaching the other side Barrin" the
drawbacks Of vinegar-makine, it can GER
tainly be rendered profitable by the invest
Htht VI Touit Ittlt 'Hlpllil ilN learning the
best methods of doing it. as Milo j. Smith
e. Son Of Smiths Ferry can testify by ex-
periencc. Good vinegar is staple arti-
Gle that never has TO go begging for
fair price. The York State farmers are
said to get fine returns from the manuiac-
ture of apple jelly, process which does
not seem TO be well understood in this re-
gion, rs applied 10 wholesale production,
although our housewives sometimes pro-
duce very palatable variety for home
use ; and we Yankees ought to be smart
enough TO learn how to get our brand on
the market. Moreover. the drying of APP
pies by heat evaporation is a matter well
worth local attention. The cost of the |
evapOrators ranges from so to $3.50. and |
experience in running them has shown
that the. cost of the dried fruit is from
three to seven cents, which leaves a good
margin for profit. As any one can see who
is familiar with grocers' prices. TO this |
list OF suggestions fer increasing the val |
ne of the apple crop many others could |
doubtless be added. The apple-produc- |
ing area of the world is quite limited. |
while the apple and its products are
everywhere saleable. and the equalizing
distribution of the crop would seem to be |
entirely possible.-SpringfeM Repu5H- |
can.