Oxford Democrat., 1903-09-29
The Fruit Crop and the Fruit Market.
A REVIEW OF THE SITUATION.


The season now is so far advanced
that comparatively reliable estimates of
the fruit crop from a commercial stand
point can be made. There is only left
at this time the single possibility of a
widely prevailing severe gale of wind
that can change to any considerable ex-
tent the quantity or the quality of the
crop of fruit now nearing a readiness
for the pickers. Up to this time the
Farmer has purpoSely had nothing to
say over the fruit crop of this state, save
giving the estimate of the American
apple shippers association of 20 per cent
of the crop of last year. At the time
that estimate was made, the first of
August, we looked upon it as fairly
representing the situation, and saw no
reason for any change of the figures.
But since that estimate was made up,
the development of the crop in our state
has been remarkable. There has been
no gale to blow off the fruit, there is
scarcely any wormy fruit, and up to the
present time substantially no dropping
from any cause, while there has been
plenty of moisture to keep up the de-
velopment. AS result of this favor
able combination the growth of the fruit
has been marked. Every time grower
has gone into his orchard an increase of
the final crop has been plainly apparent.
In general it may be said that the trees
and the orchards that did not give full
crop last year never held a larger guam
tity of market apples than load their
branches at the present time. 1t is in
fact remarkable how the recent growth
of the fruit has loaded up and filled the
trees with their burden of fruit. Branch
es and trees, in spite of watchful atten-
tion, are breaking under the still in
creasing weight of fruitage they never
before carried. BaldwinS, Spies, and
Ben Davis are in the lead for varieties.
A partial exception to this representa-
tion is found in Cumberland and York
counties, where the heavy bearing of
last year was almost universal, also
across the northerly fruit bearing belt
of the state, where the late frosts of
spring worked serious injury to the
fruit buds and blossoms. But across
Oxford, Audroscoggin and Kennebec
counties the crop is general and abun-
dant, and with three weeks for the win
ter fruit yet to grow.
As result of these continued favor
able conditions we would at the present
time increase the earlier estimates of
the shippers association from their 20
per cent of the crop of last year for the
State, to 50 to S. per oent of that crop.
The market outlook is not the question
of general interest among the growers.
While the editor of the Farmer is usual
ly ready to set price on his fruit while
it is still on the trees, yet he never
assumes to know what the future value
will be, and declines to advise others
when to SELL The most the Farmer pur-
poses to do is to keep its readers inform
ed of the situation, and let them sell
when they think best. That the crop
of fruit in the country, Including Cana
da and Nova Scotia) is full one as COM
pared to last year no one rises to queS-
ton. 1t is not all in the same localities as
last year, and some of the heavier fruit
ing sections will not come SO directly in
with our market as at that
time, but this is fully offset by other
fruiting sections with opposite condi-
tiOns.
The price our market fruit will bear,
the late-keeping sorts, is con-
trolled by the shipping value. There is
no question but the European crop OF
fruit is short in the extreme. Yet so
long as the English and German mar
kets are drawing their supplies from
this continent, all the way from Nova
Scotia to the Pacific valleys, there is no
doubt but they will find full supply
for their wants without extreme prices.
Maine summer and fall fruits have been
selling fairly well in Boston markets for
home consumption, the crop in that
state being short, but this need not be
taken as an index of future values.
Apple shippers are showing much eau
tion in the opening prices for shipping
apples this fall, and we are inclined to
the opinion that this is best for the
holders as well as buyers. Last year
they started in recklessly in regard to
prices, paying higher than the trade
could bear, breaking the market. While
a few of us who sold and delivered early
got something out of it, yet before the
season was over both buyers and sellers
lost money from the overlooking OF the
market and consequent breaking down
of the price. With the trade this year
opening cautiously there will not likely
be undue haste to sell, SO that steady
prices, such as the market can bear, will
be likely to continue, and all hands get
more for their fruit in the end than in
year of a panicky market. No one can
tell in advance how many apples the
foreign market can take so that 1T is bet
ter that conservative policy be observ-
ed in the start that the trade may go on
without interruption from an overloaded
supply. With such policy in force IL
is likely there will be room abroad Tor
all the surplus crop we may have to otter.
No one need look for extremely high
prices. Farmer.