The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-03-15

sold on the trees. 1t looks to us that 1t
is too hard to combine all the needed
qualifications for growing and handling
the tree fruits produced for market.
This division of labor has to some ex-
tent already appeared. 1t relieves the
grower of much risk which others can
more safely assume. But we do not
wish to enlarge upon this matter here.
A more Immediately important one
it surely is to know ho'o to market our
fruits? When we visit the cities we go
about the streets and markets with
wide.open eyes, to note anything likely
to be instructive to us in this line; and
as an apple-grower we are struck with
the evident fact that there is something
for us, at least, to learn from the grow
ers of other fruits. The standard flour
barrel is the standard package for APP
pies. Why 30? 1t is an utterly I'M
suitable package for all the soft sum.
mer and early or late fall apples. All
these must be sold and consumed be-
fore freezing weather, and they are
universally sold in small quantities to
consumers. Why should they not go
from the orchards packed in cheap bas-
kets or boxes, like our peaches, or
anges, etc.
The time is at hand, and very close
upon us, when no second quality of
fruit will pay for shipment. We are so
impressed with this conviction that
upon the farm upon which we have
been for the past four seasons putting
out large apple orchard, we are also
organizing matters with the view of
consuming all the waste fruit upon the
farm by feeding it to live stock. We
expect to keep the orchard under cul-
ture, and to pick up every apple as it
falls-feeding them at once to pigs,
sheep or cows. When gathering time
comes, we wish to gather directly into
half-bushel baskets, to be at once as
sorted-the best into shipping pack
ages, the seconds for evaporation, and
all the rest, except what we can sell at
once in the home market, to the feed
ing troughs and managers of the live
stock. We are very favorably located
for shipment of fruit to England, via
Montreal; and considerable degree of
experience and study of the situation
convinces us that only the finest fruit
and that packed in such way as to
reach its ultimate market in as perfect
condition as it left the tree-will yield
satisfactory profit. In order TO attain
this, better provisions are yet needed
on shipboard; but these will no doubt
in time be secured. Light cellular
packages, similar to those used for eggs,
have been tested for apples by some
Montreal growers, and the pecuniary
results have been quite satisfactory
In this way-even with the objection
able heat of ordinary steamship trans
portation-fall fruit, like the Fameuse
and Wealthy, reach the London market
in the very primest condition for inn
mediate table use, and are snatched up
most eagerly by dealers.
These methods cannot be kept Sc
cret, or monopollzed, for otherwise we
we might not mention them; but this
they will do-stimulate consumption
far beyond what is possible by the pres
ent crude methods and practices of our
growers and dealers. Under proper
care and instruction, fruit-growing can
be developed into fine art. The men
who are first in attempting it are the
men who will most profit by it. When
everybody "catches on" things will
return more towards an equilibrium
but the best man will always win.