The daily sentinel., 1908-01-14

\ The following deserved COM +
+ pliment paid Grand Valley ap- 4.
i. pies is taken from the editor i.
i. ial columns of that great ag- +
i. ricultural paper. the American \.
i. Farmer, published at Indianap- 4.
j. oils, Ind. and 1t gives good 4
i. idea of what a pronounced i'm !.
+. preston the unequalled meth \.
i. cd of packing employed by the 4.
i. local fruit growers makes \.
i. throughout the country: II
++++ -fff+
The editor of the American Farm
er. while recently passing down j
street in Indianapolis devoted to COM
mission houses. found a text for an
article for the benefit of the fruit
| growers. There was the usual dis
play along the sidewalks in front OF
the stores. Baskets of grapes. bar
rels of potatoes. crates of oranges.
apples in great variety, the season.
able celery, the tempting pineapple
and many other things too numer-
Gus to MENTION" were displayed be-
fore the eager purchasers The ed
itorial passerby gave only an indif-
ferent glance at the general display.
but finally. In front of one OF the
stores, something arrested his special
attention. 1t was an oblong box,
about feet long and high, with a
lid tilted at right angles so as to
disclose the contents. These. tempt
ing of themselves, were made doubly
so by certain auxiliary adjuncts. 1t
was a box of Bellefower apples from
distant Colorado. Individually they
did not differ from other apples OF
the kind but collectively. as the re-
shipper, they had been unusually at
tractive The top row of apples. laid
evenly along like eggs in crate.
gave evidence of polishing by their
shiny surfaces. The coloring had
been brought out in boldest relief
and given the fullest effect of the yell
low golden hue and slight tinge of
red peculiar to this popular product
of the orchard. But the shipper had
not stopped there. Each apple was
enclosed in tissue paper. only the top
row being left half disclosed SO as
to show what they were.
In short. these apples had been
put up like the choicest Florida or
anges, so as to enhance to the great
est their natural charms. Every ap-
/ .S q,
size. Native beauty was not left un-
adorned, but "adorned the most by
every artificial artifce. There was
no getting by that box of apples with
out making a purchase, or at least
I asking questions. 1t was found that
boxes like this sample were In all the
commission houses. in all the market
stalls. at the grocery stores and fruit
stands. And they were picked out
and purchased In quantities often be-
cause of their good looks and appe-
tizing appearance. Other apples al
most or just. as good. Greenings. jon
athans. Grimes Golden. Kings and
others were passed by. while the love-
ly Coloradoans were given the right
of way.
A test of the fruit showed that 1t
was inferior In flavor to other Belle
flowers raised much nearer home;
but. as n well dressed woman attracts
most notice in crowd. the owner
of these Colorado products had great
ly enlarged his sales by neatness of
packing and taste in every detail.
The lesson, of course, is obvious. 1t
is worth while for every fruit grower
to take care in the boxing and ship
ping of his fruit. He may thus in
crease their value fully so per cent
Careless picking, hasty packing, hur-
ry. rush and inattention to minor de-
tails causes loss In this line as the
same Indifference or Incompetence
! causes loss in all branches of agri-
culture and horticulture.
The custom pointed out above has
long been followed by orange grow
ers. This fruit never comes to mar
ket without the separate covering Of
tissue paper. What all do brings no
especial advantage to any one indi-
vidual; the public is accustomed to
1t and expects 1t. Comparatively few
however. have caught on to its value
in marketing apples. The Colorado
Bellefowers were the first seen in
this market in fancy dress. but it is
plain that benefit Will come to other
shippers who catch on to the exam
; pie set by the grower out in the Gen.
tennial state.
All have observed the trick OF the
fruit stand dealers in cities OF cover
ing their haskets of fruit with red