The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-09-03
The Outlook For Apples.

The latest report Of the United
States government gives the condi-
ton of the apple crop as 52.2 per cent
of full crop, which compares with
39.4 for the corresponding period Of
last year and ten-year average Of
500. The average for the whole
country, however, is misleading be :
cause it includes many states which
produces but few apples.
Below are given the per cents Of the
New England states; Maine, So; New
Hampshire, IS; Vermont, So; Massa
chusetts, IS; Rhode Island, 50; Con-
necticut, So; New York, IS; PennsyI-
vania, SO; Virginia, 50; Ohio, As; Hi
nois, 81; Michigan, 81, Iowa, 40; Mis-
sour, 81; Kansas, SO; Arkansas, Al;
Colorado, 81; Washington, So; Ore
gon, 81.
In New England the crop is consid-
eraDly below last years except in
Vermont. New YORK makes a slight
" better showing than last year.
The central states on the whole make
a poor record, some Of them below
last years very low figures. The Pa
cific states indicate mostly a larger
crop than last year. Ar indicated by
private reports and confirmed by the
government report, the crop is
light one, showing hardly more fruit
than last year and Less fruit within
convenient shipping reach Of the
eastern market.
Inc Canadian government crop re-
port says There mas been a decline
generally in the prospects for the
apple crop since last month. No
doubt correspondents have been in
fuenced by the very heavy drop in all
varieties. The fruit however, Is
growing very rapidly and promises at
the present time 10 be of specially
good size and quality. In general
early apples will be classed as a little
above medium crop, fall apples me-
dunn and winter apples slightly be-
low medium.
The apple situation in western New
York is very quiet as compared with
last year. Buyers are mostly holding
of and talking low prices, but not do
ing much business. 1t is claimed that
few orchards have been bought on
the basis of SIPS for barreling fruit
and at Is cents per bushel for evapor-
ator stock. Buyers are talking about
a basis of rs to s1.50 for No. one
fruit, but most growers, insist on 81
90 to $500.
Prof. L. P. Hedrick of the expert
ment station at Geneva, \. Y, thinks
western New York will have a crop
equal to last year and quality will be
the best for some years. Conditions,
he says, have been improved by re-
cent showers, increasing the size and
improving the color.
In Missouri the report predicts
light crop and at least fair prices.
1t finds there will be no more apples
than last year and perhaps not SO
many. In its own section, the middle
west, it finds there will be but few
surplus apples, aud in the eastern
states no more apples than a year
ago, although the average quality will
be better. 1t finds that growers and
buyers have not yet come together,
and quotes no prices.
w. S. Perrins, a former Massachus-
etts man, now in southern Illinois, re-
ports very light crop in his section.
He thinks the best outlook for apples,
both eastern and western, is in the
export trade provided shippers would
take more pains in packing. He finds
that good apples we'll graded and
carefully packed bring better results
exported than when marketed at
home.