Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-05-09
Apple Packages In Canada.

In view OF the gonorai interest HAUL
tested in the question of the most suit
able package for apple shipping, the
following from the Canadian Grocer will
prove of interest:
"The bill now before the House oi
Commons, Ottawa, which provides q
uniform box package for apples for the
export trade, will, If it becomes law,
be perhaps the greatest innovation in
the history of the Canadian fruit grow
ing industry up to the present time, in
addition to having far-reaching in
fluence on the Canadian export trade.
In the autumn of 1904 We interviewed
Mr.. A. McNeill, chief of the fruit division,
who spared no pains in impressiDg us
with the superiority of the box package
for fancy fruit. According to Mr..
McNeill there could be little doubt about
the barrel being the more desirable
package for about so per cent of Cana
dian apples. At the same time, a barrel
of Canadian apples seldom reached Great
Britain in perfect condition, and every
one knew that there were certain varie-
ties of apples which simply could not be
shipped in barrels without spelling. To
the Englishman who wanted fancy
apple for table use, price was no object
and bruised apple not to be thought of.
For this trade the box package was
necessary. 1t was entirely because Tas-
manian and Californian fruit came thus
packed to the English market in perfect
condition that it had become SO popu-
lar. The box, moreover, was about as
cheap form of package as the barrel,
owing to the advance in the price of
first-class barrels during the past two
or three seasons. Year before last a
number one quality barrel cost as high
as Csc to 70c, and, although the price
had since dropped to SEC, there was at
the present time comparatively little
difference in comparison with the cost
of the regulation box.
A second argument in favor of the box
was that the English trade preferred it;
at the same time it had to be remember
ed that the English consumer was
accustomed to seeing Canadian apples in
barrels, and, naturally enough, was
suspicious when he happened upon a
box package labelled Canadian apples
Mr.. McNeill went on to say that the
Canadian buyer and wholesale dealer, as
well as the broker, the wholesaler and
the retailer in Great Britain, favored the
barrel simply because less labor and
expense were involved in handling.
The solution of the whole matter lay in
the education of the English consumer
to the superior value of fancy Canadian
apples packed in boxes. Some of the
authorities in Ottawa go even further
than Mr.. McNeill and emphasize the
of the box package, from the
standpoint of cheapness in handling,
of size, and uniformity of
packing.
Fruit men although interested in the
proposed legislation are by no means
united in supporting or opposing the
bill. Some firms who are accustomed
to the barrel package and know with
what distinct approval Canadian bar
relied apples have met in foreign mar
kets, are inclined to doubt whether any
benefit can accrue to the Canadian fruit
trade, at the same time contending that
the barrel will always be the more pop
ular package. Others are inclined to
view Mr.. Fishers bill with favor; they
recall the Fruit Marks Act, which was
viewed susplciously by the Canadian
fruit trade before 1t became law, and
has since proved to be in their best in
terests. The big question is whether
the box package will mean bigger prof
its for the shipper in Canada, and even
those who are opposed to the new bill
on general principles, admit that this
cannot be answered until the box pack
age comes into general use,"