Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-08-16
Mirror and Farmer. I

There are no apples in New IIamp-
shire" This statement is nearer the
truth, in our judgement. than it has been
in any previous year in the last half CEN
fury. We saw a farmer last week who
said that in his orchard, from which he
sold last year 800 barrels of No. l Bald
wins, he could not now find single soli-
tary apple, and another, who when there
is crop makes business of buying and
shipping it, who gave it as his opinion
after going through Merrimack county
that there were not in all that county a
carload of apples that would be called
merchantable in good year.
1t is about the same wherever we have
been and the apple crop of this state
must be classed as failure. Instead of
harvesting hundreds of thousands Of bar
rels for other markets our growers will
not find enough of all kinds to supply
the needs of our own people. And when
there are few apples in New Hampshire
it may be assumed that there are fewer
in the other New England states, for ours
stands very near the head of the list in
the production of this fruit, which Is,
one year with another, our most protita-
BILE one.
OF the conditions in other parts of the
country we have little exact information,
but we know of no reason to look for a
large crop anywhere. 1t is the odd year
(190l), which is the of year for apples.
The trees have earned rest and are TAX
ing it. The late spring was not favora-
BILE to the blossoms and the terrible heat
has blighted and roasted many OF the
small apples. That there will be scarcity
| high prices and the necessity of finding q
substitute seems apparent.
| How serious matter this Is appears
when it is considered that in fruitful
year the apple crop Is one of the most
valuable raised In the United States. The
Chicago Times-Herald estimates 1t in 1900
at - million barrels, worth 81 barrel,
or 1870 million dollars, while the value of
the great cereals, according to their of
fetal calculation, was in 1899 as follows
Corn ..................S G29, 2l0, llC
Hay .................... Ill ,926, lS7
W heat. ...... .......'..... lJ,o4o.2o.
cotton. .......... ....''''.. oOJ, 4O' ,O4l
Oats'''' ''''''.'''. '.''''' lbs, 10 ,9'J
Whether this guess, that there were
2l5 million bushels of apples last year, is
within gunshot of the fact no one can
tell, and as The Herald says:
No man or bureau knows what part of the
apple crop is marketed and what utilized on
| the pr emises Millions of barrels go into the
production OF cider, vinegar, jellies and pre-
| serves. Other millions go to the production
OF the best pie that mothers ever made-to
| say nothing of "applc sass
Countless barrels are needed to stock up
| the universal apple stand. one industrious
apple Mary" dispOses of fifty barrels in a
city block yearly in her daily pigrimages
Millions of bushels are stolen every year
| from the trees that stretch their heavily
laden branches temptingly out over the high
ways OF the land.
IN sfatt afia do mat tn tlo toll
monetary value or dietetic worth of the
| American apple. AS the strawberry is the
best berry, so the apple, In spite OF the part il
to man. 1t is the king OF American fruits.
We do not think the quantity stated il
an overestimate, but the price is too high
by nearly one-half. Apples may cost
consumers who have to buy them two
dollars barrel, but they do not net theiI
grower more than dollar. Even at that
rate they bring 10 the producers an enor.
nous sum, and a failure of the crOI
means widespread and heavy loss. 1t /:
loss, however, that is not appreciated
The whole civilized world watches oul
wheat, corn and cotton fields and base:
its business calculations and plans upor
their probable yield; but nobody except
the owners pays much attention to the
apple orchards. Stocks do not 90 up be-
cause they are fruitful or go down be
cause they are barren. Whether they
yield 200 millions or 20 millions does not
apparently matter to the transportation
companies, the manufacturers or the
merchants. All other business proceeds
without reference to them.
Just why this is it would be hard tC
explain, but it may be suggested that i
is partially because the apple, lusclou;
and nutritious and healthful as it is, i;
an article of food which the world car
do without if it is obliged to. How the
thoroughbred Yankee housewife coulC
worry along with no apples is doubtful
and we pity the family of the one who Il
compelled to try it, but most people cal
find substitutes which answer their pur
poses.
Bovine Tuberculosis.