The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1906-07-26
Apple Conditions.
(Massachusetts Ploughman.

The outlook for export trade, this
year, is moderately favorable, although
the countries of Europe will produce a
larger share of their own apple supply
they have in some previous years. 1t
looks as If the American apples for
shipment would come in larger supply
from the middle states and will consist
In good part of the inferior commercial
varieties like Ben Davis. The Baldwius
of New York state and New England
are not likely to show any great surplus
for export. The Pippins of the Virginia
district are very popular in English
markets, but seem to be a crop failure
this year.
In comparing apple exports for the
past 10 years, an interesting item is the
almost steady increase in the shipment
of apples in boxes Thus, in 1897 the
shipments abroad were Isl, 985 boxes
The past year, shipments were 4l6, 266
boxes, which Is figure considerably
larger than the box shipments in 1908,
which was a banner year for barrel
shipments, showing that ere is ten
dency for box shipments to increase
relatively faster than barrel shipments,
In fact, the shipment of apples in barrels
can hardly be said to increase in any
regular way, since it varies SO greatly
with the crop and the conditions of the
foreign markets. Thus, as far back as
1900, shipments were 2,219, 900 barrels, a
figure which exceeds any year following
until the banner year in 1903, when
shipments were 3,500,000 barrels. In
1904, 2,4l1 900 barrels were sent abroad,
while the past year, 1905 06, exports
were 2,l86,0 barrels The more
extended use of boxes is thought by
many dealers to be feature which will
increase. owing to the difficulty of
getting barrels enough, also the ease In
handling boxes and their compact form
in storage. and the favorable conditions
which box shipments afford for inspec-
ton of the contents. Boxes have their
drawbacks, but at least for the export
trade they seem to be becoming more
popular.
About the only really favorable re-
ports of the apple crop seem to come
from the prairie states of the west, in
Guiding Missouri, Illinois and Arkansas
From these states even the report Is not
favorable without exception, but 1t ap
pears there will be plenty of apples of
the cheaper and cosrser kinds, Further
west, in Kansas and Nebraska, a greater
percentage of the reports than before
are rather favorable. In the lake region
the crop seems to be liable to be even
smaller than expected, and according to
the latest reports received here. would
not be above so or go per cent of the
crop In New York state and New
England reports continue unfavorable.
According TO our correspo ndents, the
product of this section, 30 far as con-
Germs the Bsldwins, the leading COM
mercisl variety, will be q small one
| Taking the country as whole, it would
be hardly possible to expect from the
present reports anything more than a
fair crop, with the possibility that the
storage may finally develop into some
thing intermediate between poor and
fair, hardly good enough to be called a
fair or average crop.
Final reports of the Michigan fruit
crop give average prospects for early
apples, but short crop of winter va
rieties. Berries of all kinds seem to
be short crop in Michigan and the
prices high. Cherries. however, pro
duce heavy yields. The peach crop
of the state Is reokoned at so per cent.
The manufacturers of apple barrels
do not seem to expect a very great
season Tor apples. Ihey say there VIII
be plenty of new barrels available and
are reported offering them in New York
state at about cost of manufacture
An expert apple packer of Green
county, N. Y thinks the crop in the
Catskill section will not amount to
more than one tenth that of last year,
although last years crop was a short
one in that locality This statement,
he thinks, applies to the whole Hudson
river valley.
A review of the apple outlook by the
Western Fruit Grower gives the es-
innate for the crop in the middle west
at 90 to IS per cent of full yield.
Missouri seems to be one OF the
most fortunate of apple sections this
year, having a good crop and no great
trouble from insects