The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1907-01-03
VALUABLE TRIPS ON
MARKETING APPLES

per read by H. M Kingsbury, of the
Missouri Horticultural society tina
may prove uf interest to growers here
as it givs some valuable information
about marketing apples. From Mr..
KingsbuTy's paper it can be seen that
the Ben Davis is still very import
ant factor in the apple business in
that state. The paper is as follows:
Some time since | received letter
from our worthy secretary, Nj. l. A.
Goodman, asking me to write pa
per for this meeting on Marketing
Apples" or some kindred subject ia
be selected by me. At the time of re-
oeiving his letter | was feeling pretty
good, as | was just winding up a very
strenuous apple season, and as apples
at that time we're moving quite freely
and prices getting better, thought l
could see successful close to a very
unusul season. Being in this frame
Of mind, | wrote to Mr.. Goodman
that | would try to prepare a paper,
and selected the subject given above.
IL the subject is to be- considered
from the standpoint of the grower, as
we'll as the dealer aud | think 1t
should be-it will be necessary to be-
gin with early spring. First OF all,
when the proper time. comes, spray
your fruit. Cultivate your orchard
thoroughly and keep down vegetation.
The most essential thing is to raise
frnit of such quality that it ID deserv-
ing of good market.
AS soon as your fruit crop is we'll
set and apparently safe, you should
take up the subject of packages to be
used. Get the best packages money
will buy. 1t matters not which you
use barrels or boxes, or both. They
should be of first. class material, and
max, an attractive package when pre-
sented to the consumer for their ap-
proval.
Did you ever 60 to fruit stand to
buy basket of peaches and notice
that one basket was made of the best
material and had neat, tidy appear
ance, showing care in the packing,
while another seemed to have a loose,
slouchy look, as though it we're only
put together to reach the market. The
fruit in the well made basket may not
be quite as fine as the fruit in the
other. but you will take it every time,
and if the quality of the fruit in both
baskets is the same, the slouchy look
ing package will have to take back
seat and will not move until all the
others have gone.
So it is with apples. Make your
package attractive. A message to the
buyer that you have used care in
packing and handling its contents.
The extra cost of first class package
is like bread cast upon the waters. 1t
will return to you after many days,
possibly an order for five or ten cars
of fruit under your brand.
After your packages are arranged
for aud we'll under way, SO they will
be ready when needed, you should Sc
lect your fruit. If you are grower
exclusively and haze given our Or
chard the square deal", this is a
simple matter. But with the buyer it
js not so easy. Orchard after orchard
must be visited. Memoranda should
be made as to the fruit and the ap-
proximate number of barrels of each
variety in each orchard. Some or
chards will have to be passed up en-
tirely, while in others, only certain
varieties can be packed.
When you have gotten line on the
fruit in the section in which you are
operating, open up correspondence
With the buyers in sections of the
country in which you expect to find
a market.
Let them know just what you eX-
pect to have to offer, and when you
hn 20 h,,e 7 at
understand that you expect to han
die nothing but first class stock, put
up in first class shape. Make your
letters short and to the ipoint. Garry
conviction to the buyer and make him
feel that Ee5needs some of your apples
for his trade. When you get buyer
to this point, you are in position to
do business with him, and when you
find customer, above all things
"make good" See that your fruit is
properly and honestly packed, and
that your brand goes on every barrel
in a neat and attractive way. Guar
antee every barrel of fruit, and make
it come up to the guarantee.
When the buyer gets your first car
load and finds it all you repr esented
it tosbe, che will immediatelySwire you
for price OIL another Car or possibly
five. Don't lose your head when this
happens, Eut price him what he wants
and at the market. Don't think be-
cause he in is position to use more of
your apples that you can spring the
market on him. Give him a chance
to make q profit. Gain his confidence
and compel him to have confidence in
you.
| had one car of Jonathan apples
this season which | believe sold for
me tn ono firm % cars of apples, be-
sides turning down older from them
| could not ill. The car of Jonathans
was fancy. The apples we're sold at q
fair price and tn buyer doubtless
made nice profit on th NJ. AS soon
as they rece we'd and examined them
they wanted prices on several more
cars. AS this was the last Car | had
to offer, switched them on to Ben
Davis. | sold them ten cars the first
clip, and then five more. They then
wanted ten more, but could not see
my way clear to book them just then.
Later | sold them several more cars
They paid every draft promptly. Did
not have a kick Oh a car sold tC
them. These people we're strangers
to me. had never sold them a dol
lar g worth until the Ca of Jonathans,
looked up their rating and found
they we're thoroughly reliable. | gave
them to understand that | guaranteed
everything sold them, and if by acci
dent or caielessness of my packers
shipped them anything that was moi
right, | proposed to make it right.
When you get good customer stay
with him. Some time you may shiI
him some apples you did not intend
to ship him, or possibly some of tb'
apples, or the whole car for that mat
ter, are not as goud as you thought
they we're. Ii he so advises you
take his word for it, Allow any rea
sonabie claim be may make, IT he II
the right kind of customer his CLAIM
will not he unjust.
Use the telegraph freely. In thl'
day and age all perishable fruit II
bought and sold on the wires. An
swer kilograms promptly, and Away
pay them. Don't be stingy. Th'
Western Union needs your contribu