Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-03-24
MANY APPLES WANTED
Public Wants 20 Buy-It is Up to
the Growers TO Supply at
Reasonable Price.
(By Hyman IL. Cohen. in Portland
JOurnall

fruit can be secured at a price that
the people can afford to pay. Such
a condition has been fully demon
strated by the recent apple sales at
Portland and in Chicago. More ap-
piles were sold at both places during
that period than ever before. This
sale has solved one vexing problem
so far as producers are concerned.
They have been led to believe that
there was an Overproduction OF ap-
pies, but such was not found to be
the case Every apple grown in the
Pacific northwest this season would
have been consumed at profitable
prices to producers had they been
able to get to the demand
That the days of extreme high
prices for apples are past is another
thing that has been demonstrated
this season at various worlds points.
Europe, Asia and Africa. as well as
our own United States, have told in
plain words that they would like ap-
pies, but cosld not pay the prices
demanded heretofore. With thesbos-
sible exception of accident to the
worlds crop there is no likelihood of
extreme prices ever again ruling in
the apple trade. This leaves the sit
uation in such state that it is up
to the grower to see that he does not
spend too much money on producing
the fruit and eliminating as far as
practicable all unnecessary expenses
in reaching the ultimate consumer.
Few of the apples bought from
growers go direct to consumers.
see that the other fellow does not
charge too much for the fruit after
1t leaves his hands. During recent
years only the rich or near-rich
could afford to ear more than spar-
ingly of apples. and the latter two
are far in the minority as far as the
total crop movement is concerned
1t is all well and proper to cater to
the person who has money to burn
and give him any 3ort of apple he is
willing to pay for. but if growers
really want to market their crops
they must cater to the so-called COM
mon folks, for the latter are the
ones he must depend upon to secure
his profits.
Few people can be found who real
ly do not like apples. therefore it is
an easy matter for growers to sell
their product providing their price
ideas are not out of line with the
amount of money that consumers are
able to muster. Il might be stated
here in passing that too many grades
of apples have been packed for the
good of the industry There is, to be
sure, but little difference in these
grades and the fancy apple from one
section is considered the choice of
another. After all. there are too
few extra fancy apples-as that
grade has been known heretofore
for growers to even consider that
branch Of the trade. 1t is the aver
age good apple that the general pub
lie wants, and it is willing to pay
what they are worth as a food.
After all, the apple is really food
and not a luxury, as it has been
termed during recent years Ap.
pies should not be considered a lux.
nry and should not be priced as such.
As necessity they must be priced
In competition with others of that
character, along with potatoes, flour
and vegetables. If growers insist
upon asking the price of luxury
To- apples they will always find the
sale restricted. The apple industry
of the Pacific northwest is no longer
an infant. IT has passed its swad.
ding period and Is no longer an ex
pertinent. The Pacific northwest ha
'shcwn the entire world how to grow
good apples and therefore there il
increasing competition in good frui
each season.
1t Is foOlhardy for the growers o
the Pacific northwest to sit idly b,
and say that this section produce
the only good applnes in the world
II Is not the truth, and by so declar
ing the growers are fooling onl
themselves The>aDple-buying worl
has found that there are other sec
iions that have good apples and 70
that reason Is no longer inclined t
pay the eKtravagant premium thi
was 70 merly obtained for the proC
net Of this section There will, {
course, always be certain trat
abroad, as we'll as at home, that wi
demand something extra good, bl
THE irsde viii not be big enough
make much Of an effort to captur
Tho Pacific northwest must lay /
plans to compete with other section
OF the world.
The situation In the apple trade
not nearly 80 bad as many have be,