Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-10-13
4 GREAT APPLE YEAR.
what Becomes Of the Crop Of Our National
Fruit

4
growers and dealers are
manning how best they can distribute
these millions of red and green fruit
to consumers so that they shall reap
profits commensurate with the magni-
rude of the industry. Most of those
who deplore the low price of apples
this season because of the large crop.
refer more particularly to the early
fall and summer apples. which always
in the event of a glut prove unprofita-
BILE. as they will not keep. Winter an
Mes however. are very different, and
il is not only possible TO keep them all
winter under favorable conditions. but
they can be shipped around the globe
and prove as sound and attractive
when unpacked as when first picked.
This fact has given to our winter APP
ples value far in excess of most of
our fruits. and the question of widen
ing the consumptive demand is a vital
one of the day.
Our exports of apples to England
and Germany have steadily increased
until today our shipments represent
more than the entire crop of twenty
wears ago. The last census showed that
there were 120. 900. 900 apple trees in this
country. and that the average crop
from these trees was from 140, 900, 900 to
zoo. 600, 900 bushels. Since then mann
moth apple orchards have been plant
ed all over the country. and if a census
of the trees was taken today probably
five times as many trees would be
found. 1t was shortly after the 1890
apple orchards took place, and during
the FIVE following years new orchards
were planted so fast in the West and
Southwest and even on the Pacific
coast that Eastern growers hesitated
to continue extending an industry that
they had enjoyed a monopoly of SO
long A few years ago the results of
these new orchards began to manifest
themselves. The crop has steadily in
creased in size. but the panic in prices
has as steadily been aveTted.
The reason for this has been that the
consumptive demand of apples has
kept pace with the increase in the sup
ply This has been due to the opening
of larger foreign markets. and to the
more general use of apples at home
Germany has learned to like our apples
so that American apples are almost as
common there today as these rom Aus
tria and the Tyrol. England has stead
lily increased her consumption of them
while France and Italy are beginning
to cultivate taste for our n2tiona
fruit. The department of agriculture
has fostered this export trade in apples
by recommending the best methods OF
culture. picking and packing ofthe fruit
for shipment and by naming the va
rietes that are in the greatest demand
abroad. This includes most of the old
time varieties of apples. such as tht
Baldwin, the Jonathan. Northern Spy
Rhode Island Greening Roxbury Rus
set Tompkins King. Newton Pippin
York Imperial and the Ben Davis. OF
all these apples the latter is the mos
extensively planted. although it is 8
comparatively young variety, and the
Newton Pippin is the chief favoritt
abroad and one Of the oldest on the
market. This was the first American
apple TO be shipped to Europe. ant
some were sent to Benjamin FRANKLIN
in London in 1853. who. it can well be
imagined. did his best to pOpulariZe it
Since then it has held its own with al
the modern varieties, and it sometime.
sells in Liverpool for three times tht
price of any other American apple.
Apples are used more generally nov
in this country than any other fruit
and science has discovered many new
forms in which they can be preserved
for winter food. Thousands of barrel:
Of apples are required TO keep the can
ming factories busy, and they are pu
up in gallon and two-gallon cans will
little or no sugar in them. so that the.
can be employed for pies, buildings ant
other desserts in winter Bakers make
more general use Of these canned ap
pies than any other. Besides the thou
sands Of barrels of apples that are
dried by the farmers in the sun 70
home consumption, there are dozens o
factories in daily operation bleaching
and cooperating apples for home an'
export use. These eVaporated apples
are in considerable demand in Soutf
America, and We export immens
quantities of them the year around. II
this form our apple exports nearl.
equal those shipped to Europe in tn
natural state. Evaporated apples vii
keep without cold storage in almos
any climate. and it is not unusual t
find American evaporated apples car
red by soldiers and travellers in tropi
cal countries Of Asia and South Africa
Science has decreed that there shall
be no waste to the apple crop. anC
every part Of the fruit is utilized j
some way. Not even the core an'
skin ar wasted. Dried cores anc
skins of apples play quite an impor
tant part in the economy Of our dali,
life. The amount of apples evapo
rated depends largely upon the size o
The crop. When this is enormous tn
fectories can secure all the apples the,
reed at small prices. and they run
night and day to stock ahead for tn
season when the crop is small. Ii
1886 when the crop was phenomenal,
large. the factories put up so mucl
that it took two years and more I
dispose Of the surplus. At presen
there is not a very large surplus o
stock ahead. and the factories vii
make the most Of the present larg
crop ard run well through the fall an
winter.
When the cop is large. and the fac
tories busy. the sa-called apple vast
il enormous. but this waste is no
waste any more. 1t is used in anothe
form for human food In ordirar