Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1910-07-12
WESTERN APPLES BEST
OUTCLASS ALL OTHERS, SAYS
PROMINENT EASTERN EXPERT.
of Packing Has Much to Do
With Fancy Prices Received
I'm Eastern Markets.

The following article in the Rural
New Yorker of January 8, by II. f.
Van Deman, judge of the recent Ma
tionaL Apple show at Spokane and at
the Alaska Yukon Pacific exposition,
will be highly interesting to horticult-
urists and to all others interested in
the apple industry throughout the
northwest:
LAS there was a space of over four
weeks between the closing of the Alas
ka- Yukon Pacific exposition and the
opening of the apple show at Spokane,
which l had agreed to take the lead
ing part in judging, there was time to
look over some of the famous orchard
sections of the far northwest and like
wise some other regions that may be-
come famous for the production of
fine fruit in the future. This 1 did to
some extent, but was interrupted by
urgent invitations to judge the exhibits
at the Hood River (Ore.) apple show
and another at Missoula, Mont
Greatest Ever Held.
ADut thO SiSdl dppIS SIiOW at OpO-
kane, which was held from the 18th
to the goth of November, was the most
extensive thing of the kind that has
ever yet been held. That of last year
was great but this second effort was
far greater. There were IA exhibits in
the carload entries, and several more
carloads in the minor exhibits, had
they been shown in the same way. Had
the apples been spread out one deep
they would have covered over five
acres To assist in the judging l chose
George j. Kellogg. of Wisconsin, II. NJ.
Dunlap, of Illinois, Professor w. ].
Green, of Ohio and A. p. Bateham, of
Oregon. AS all of these gentlemen are
experienced in this work and peculiar
ly adapted to the several branches or
peculiar phases of the subject, we di- |
vided the work to suit sometimes act |
ing singly and sometimes jointly, as
the various exhibits required
"A score card had been adopted, |
which was based on commercial val
uation of the exhibits, mostly. The rat
ings for quality as given by the Amer
lean Pomological society were used to
determine the values of the several
in this particular, although,
IN our judgment, some of them were
not quite according to our opinions.
and need slight modification. Quality,
'olor, condition and pack are the lead
ng characteristics. and age given 20
points each, while size and uniformity
,nly have 10 points each. The quality
5 surely a matter of first considera-
ion, for the eating of an apple is the
inal and crucial test. ANY variety that ;
5 not really good does not deserve a
high rating. even on a commercial ba-
is, for il the consumer condemns the
ruit, it deserves condemnation by all.
rom the planter down. And We so
considered II i'm the scoring.
Color. which enters very largely ]
nto the attractiveness of apples when s
xposed for sale. hadsits proper rat
ng in the score. Condition included
lemishes Of all kinds. such as insect
nd fungus marks. bruises and loss of
TENS, stage of maturity not being so
ssential as that the fruit be perfect.
his pack. by which is meant the man.
er in which the apples are placed in =
he packages rather than the packages =.
themselves, had its share of value. ],
nd the several details OF the pack !.
ich had their allotment Of points. As 7
here were almost no apples shown in
arrels there was little need OF the
ores for that style Of package. But
le proper styles and conformity to the =,
'cepted standards Of box packing =,
ere most carefully noted. :,
Holds Fruit in Place. Ii
1t Is generally agreed among good A
,ckers that the apples should be flush P
IN the ends Of the box. and before q
e top IS pressed on that they should a.
- gradually TO the center OF the Il
*. where they should be IL inches 81
cher than the side pieces ana when
e top IS pressed and nailed down al
2 end the bulge should be three-quar-
- Of a inch on either side. This holds h,
e fruit firmly In place. and allows "a
tls chance for hruising in handling. II
le top and bottom pieces are only Oh