Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-10-09
The APPLE MARKET.

| Mole than the usual uncertainty pre-
wallis concerning the present status ol
the apple crop and the prospect ol
prices, Il is impossible ct this time, ol
cours, to say how many marketable ap
pies there are in the country, and whist
the prices are to be through the winter
Certaia things are perfectly clear, how
ever; and IL they are rightly taken into
account, the situation 10 cleared TO de-
gree. In the first place, IL is perfectly
certah, that the apple buyers are moi
under stimstlng the crop-not for publ
cation The apple-buyers are naturally
bears In the market, and whatever they
say 10 print Il intended TO keep prices
down. They have been unusually active
Ia their campaign this fall. The land
has bs en- filed with stories about the
immens sity Of the crop and the certainty
of . ri at. Some Of the agricultural pa
pers b, va apparently been hired to keep
up the scare; others have been taken In
and hA 'e helped along the buyers with
out getting any pay for it. IL is alto
gether probable, then, that the reports
which have been circulated are above
the maik.
IL Is highly probable, judging from
many aivices received at this Office, that
the pre- sent crop equals the marker OF
1896 In quantity. At the same time, II
exceeds it In quality. The difficulty In
handlin, the crop OF 1896 Was not 90
much In the quantity offered as 10 the
villaino,isly poor quality Of much Of the
stock. Growers certainly learned some
lessons from that great crop; and they
viii not send such poor apples, poorly
packed to weak market. Moreover,
the market IL larger than II was four
years ag,. More apples can be absorbed.
The fac lities for handling apples are
much be ter than then. At that time,
the mariet had TO be created and the
shipping arrangements invented while
the frui; rotted. Now everything 10
ready In advance.
The recent heavy windstorms In the
apple se :tious Of New York, Ontario,
and New England, have had some effect
on the cr,p, though probably less than
was feared at first. The immediate re-
suli has teen to food the local mar kets,
and TO lIome extent the city markets
with wIn,lfslls. This has . tendency TO
keep pries down. IL has given the buy
ers q chance, OF which they have been
quick 10 avail themselves, to contract for
late stocls on the basis OF present de-
pressed prices. Growers have been
scared at the ruling low ngures, and
have beer willing 20 cell their whole
crups, iu some instances, for almost any
thing that was offered.
IL must be kept 10 mind that the real
apple crop-the late-keeping apples like
Spy, BAldEin and Greening-has not yet
begun 70 move, and Ia not yet properly
In the market. Spectators are eagerly
for winter apples wherever
they can be bought, but we believe IL is
a great mistake on the part OF growers
10 sell under present conditions.
To recspitalate: The crop is no
grester--p-obsbly less-thsn that OF
1896. The quality Is better; and quality
Is quite as important as quantity in NOV
ing the crop. The market is larger than
four years ago. The facilities for
are better. The growers know
how TO grade and pack TO much better
Present prices have been
unduly depressed by the energetic efforts
pf buyers, and by the unusual harvest OF
windfslls. In view Of these facts the
Gentleman is rather inclined 70
choose ths bull side OF the market, and
TO advise growers who have good stocks
Of winter apples TO keep their courage
and hold for higher prices.-Country