Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-10-07
PROSPECTS OF THE APPLE CROP
A Poor Outlook In This Stakeholder
Places VIII Fill the Gap
Southern Trade.

Southern Trade.
/ The prospects of good crop ofwinter
apples throughout New York State this
fall are decidedly gloomy. Trust
worthy correspondents in the principal
apple-producing counties of Western
New York-Orleans, Niagara, Monroe,
, Wayne and Wyoming-repGrt the crop
there to be almost total failure. Last
year these counties produced almost
100000 barrels. This year there will
probably be no more than will supply
the home consumption. In Eastern
New York the crop is somewhat better,
but still far short of what is expected
even in an "Of year," and as always
happens when the crop is short, it is OF
poor quality. A species of leaf-blight,
whose cause has not been satisfactorily
established, is responsible for this state
of things. G. s. Palmer, produce COM
mission merchant, No. 166 Reade St.,
said to Tribune reporter yesterday:
'This will be the iightest crop we
have had In twenty years. Neverthe-
less apprehend no famine in apple
sauce. The crops of New Hampshire,
Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio,
Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana are good,
and can be relied upon to fill the gap
made by the failure of the home crop.
Last fall apples were so plentiful in
the East and prices so low that it did
not pay Western producers to ship
here. But already apples are coming
in from Michigan. Nova Scotia will
also send us 100000 barrels this year,
"Western apples may then be relied
upon to keep down prices herem was
asked.
mot very much after all; not so
much as they should have done last
year under the same circumstances.
The change of grade on the Southern
railways last June will enable Western
merchants to ship directly to Southern
cities. Formerly Southern shipments
were nearly all made through New
York. ..tt.A 0..
: 'Is the South large consumer of
Northern apples?"
"Vast quantities ofour winter apples
go South, and the volume of trade in
that direction is increasing yearly.
Taking this in connection with the
regular export trade, see no reason
why we should not have lively mar
ket and remuneratiive prices from now
until the end of the season."
"When does the season end?"
"By the end of April the apple crop
is pretty well out of the way, but cold
storage enables us to prolong the sea-
son until June, when early apples from
Virginia appear again."
us the cold storage business u paying
one?"
"Generally speaking dealers buying
in large quantities in the harvest time
when apples are cheap, and storing in
properly constructed buildings used to
reap handsome profit in the spring.
Last year they lost money. Canned
and evaporated apples can now be sold
cheaper in the spring than the green
apples, they can pc stored anywhere,
and the consumer finds them all sound
and ready for use. Large canning and
factories have lately been
started in Tennessee, Kentucky, and
other States where the crop will not
keep, and they undersell the cold stor-
age men,"
"What is the outlook for the export
trader"
'"The European crop is reported a
failure. Heavy shipments of early
have been made during the |
last month. The first of these met with |
excellent prices. But recent cable dis
patches have reported loss on the
last shipments. A movement is OH
foot throughout the country to intro
duce standard apple barrel. At pres
ent different sizes are used in different
localities, causing much confusion and
annoyance to seller and consumer. In
the West the Standard -four barrel is
used, measuring sixteen and one-half
inches across the head. AS you come
East the barrel grows smaller, until
you reach the Hudson river counties,
where anything as big as nail keg is
called a barrel. This is not right, and
merchants are joining all
over the country in an effort to intro
duce the standard round hooped -four
barrel."-N Y Tribune, 18Th.