The daily sentinel., 1914-02-19


ent sizes than has been in force the
past year. thus protecting the grow
ers who are DESTROYS of producing
the largest and best fuit and making
it an object for such growers to take
proper care Of their oehards and pro-
ducing the kind Of fruit which has the
greatest market value.
There is a strong possibility that
national legislation will be enacted Mt
this session OF congress regulating
the size of the apple box and making
n standard size for all localities. Al
so providing a standard for grading.
packing, and the name of the differ
ent grades of apples. The dimen-
sions OF the box which this bill car
ries in its present form are 1O1Sx
IL i2NlS inches and which contains
l15 cubic inches less than our pres
ent box Il is also provided In this
bill that the number of apples which
the box contains must be stamped on
the end OF the box. Therefore. all
shippers Of boxed apples viii be fore
ed to adopt the layer pack. We have
been conducting experiments with a
box as specified above and have been
greatly pleased with the results. The
apples can be layered to much better
advantage. the package presents a
better appearance and the difficulties
in the layering of apples are practi-
cally eliminated as the formulas
worked out are very simple and cas-
lily understood by even an inexperi-
enced packer. In addition to this.
we find that this new box will hold
about fifteen apples of medium size
less than the box we have been using.
which means a saving to the grower
OF $40 to $50 per car on the basis of
81 per box. Your Board of Directors
was presented with all OF these facts
and resolution was passed at their
meeting on January 18th that the an
pie box used in this locality be chang
ed to the dimensions of that in the
bill now before congress. We feel
sure that the growers i'm the Grand
Valley will appreciate this opportuni-
ty Of making larger profits on their
apples. and when we stop to consider
that a saving of $40 or $50 car
load means in the aggregate forty to
fifty thousand dollars a year on the
entire crop. We have reason to be-
lieve that no objection would be made
toward the carrying out of the reso-
luton adopted by the Board of Di-
rectors. In case n box of different
dimensions is prescribed by congress
as standard box for all apple dis
tricts We would recommend that the
Association adopt such box
We have experienced some diff
Guilty this past season on account of
our standard grade of apples being
too poor for the price asked and ii
will be necessary to either insist on
n better grade for standards or re-
duce our prices. Many growers seem
to have the idea that standard grade
permits including anything that grows
in the shane of an apple which cannot
be placed in the extra fancy and fancy
grade and the percentage of culls
now going into the standard grade
will necessitate our reducing the
price IL we find a market for this
grade.
Our apples the past season gave
universal satisfaction and very little
difficulty was experienced on the ar
rival of our extra fancy and fancy
grade in the markets. On the other
hand, We have received many letters
the Association on
the quality, grade and pack of apples
shipped the past year.
One of the most serious problems
confronting the Association is the
manner in which the growers can be
provided with the information as to
the proper time for the picking and
delivery of the different varieties of
fruits. Take the Anjou pear for in
stance. This past season we were re-
ceiving Anjou pears with Ben Davis
apples when every Anjou in the val
ley should be marketed within two
weeks time The fact that there is a
discrepancy in the maturing of the
different varieties of fruits on ac-
count of production in different To-
calities has caused us considerable
trouble and also the growers some
losses. Some system should be work
ed out whereby the growers could be
furnished with information as to the
proper time for the delivery of the
different varieties of fruits and all
growers having the varieties specifi-
ed should deliver that variety during
the time specified, even though their
own particular fruit is not as well
matured as 1t should be. Certain va
rieties of fruits have their seasons in
the consuming territory and in
many cases the length of the season
is limited. 1t is a very difficult mat
ter, for instance, to sell Jonathan APP
pies at satisfactory prices after the
fifth of October. The proper time
for the marketing of any particular
variety of fruit is covered more by
the demand in the markets for that
variety, also the maturing of com
petitiye crops of the same variety
rather than by the condition of the
fruit itself and while we do not adj
vocate shipping immature fruit, we
do advocate the rushing at all time
of all varieties as rapidly as possible.
Nine years out of ten the first of any
particular variety to reach the mar
ket brings the best price. We have
been endeavoring to control the de-
livery of different varieties of fruits
by circulars posted on bulletin boards
at all stations. but so very few of
the growers have taken any notice
of these bulletins that this plan will
have to be discontinued. 1t is entire
ly too costly for the Association to
send circulars to its entire member
ship specifying the time of delivery
-