The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-02-22
The Marketing of Fruit.

semester of the Agricultural Club at the
University of Maine the attendance was
large, the number being augmented by
students in the short courses in Horti-
culture and Poultry Husbandry. The
educational part of the program was
contributed to in very interesting
manner by Mr.. W. H. Conant of Buck
field, President of the Oxford Bears
Fruit Growers Association. Mr.. Conant
gave very instructive talk upon CO.
operative marketing of fruit. Mr.. Conant
stated that the Oxford Bears Fruit
Growers Association was organized to
fill a distinct need in the marketing of
fruit; that at first its membership was
limited for the reason that in organizing
cooperative association only such per-
sons should be admitted as will agree
upon essential points and hang together.
Since the organization four other men
have been admitted, and when the bust
ness has once been placed on a firm
foundation the membership will be
thrown open to any fruit grower who
may be interested and desires to become
identified with the work. During the
past year all of the fruit grown by the
members of the association was placed
in the hands of one man to sell; no other
member having the right to even quote
prices. AS soon as the organization of
the association was announced in the
newspapers it began to receive letters
from wholesale apple buyers asking the
association to quote prices. A large
number Of these inquiries were received
and within two days of the time when
fruit on hand and the price placed upon
the same was sent out 600 barrels had
been sold by telephone at price fully
81. so per barrel above market. 1t is the
practice of the association to stamp up
on each barrel and box, the grade of the
fruit it contains and the aim has thus
far been to pack a little better quality
OF fruit than the grade called for. A
body of men acting together can estab-
fish reputation quicker than one man
alone for the reason that more fruit is
available for sale. 1t offers advantages
to the buyer for the reason that he can
buy in larger quantities. This is always
an object to him. 1t is the plan of the
association to employ bonded packer,
so that no member will have anything to
do with the packing of his own fruit.
At this time Mr.. Conant exhibited some
samples of Northern Spy apples taken
from the lot exhibited at the New Eng
land Fruit Show, where it won the sweep
stake for New England and later won
the first prize at the Maine Corn and
Fruit Show held at Portland. The cry
from many people has been for larger
fruit; this idea is not exactly the correct
one; fruit can be too large. We should
place our greatest empha sis on quality.
In shipping to Liverpool the criticism
has been that the fruit is often times too
large. A medium sized apple has the
best sale all over the United States and
Europe. In grading apples we make
sure that the No. rs are all uniform and
pack extra large ones in the No. 2. We
should emphasize uniformity. We be-
lieved that our label meant whole lot
to us before the shipping season was
finished. Northern Spies have the repu-
tation of being poor seller in the
Liverpool market, but last year l sent
my first lot to that market and as it hap
pened one merchant bought the entire
lot; thereafter he came to each boat
regularly, watching for other shipments
of Northern Spies bearing my label.
Two shipments sent later were picked
up by him. The Northern Spy tree is
peculiar; it has the reputation of being a
shy bearer but have found that excess
sive nitrogen should be kept away from
the tree; it requires very little of this
element and if we practice clean cultiva-
ton, fertilize properly, spray thoroughly
and prune intelligently the Northern Spy
tree will improve every year; it will
make handsome growth, and will bear
fruit literally each year.
Mr.. Conant is taking tn, short course
in HOrticnlturo and sDe0k0 most enthus