Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-11-16
Orcharding as a Business

Maine orcharding today needs the
support of more men who will devote
their attention seriously to its bust
ness side stated Albert K Gardner
of Bangor. the State horticulturist
Saturday. Growers may differ in their
ideas as to what method of pruning is
best adapted to the conditions, or they
may differ in the cropping system
etc, but all who have given the mat
ter serious consideration must real
ize that simply producing apples is
not orcharding.
"Orehardng is a business, contin-
ued MIR. Gardner, and ii must be con-
Quoted on business lines. We cannot
blame the commission men for the
conditions existing at present or if We
do we are avoiding the issue. To put
the apple industry on its feet and es-
tablish permanent foundation for the
distribution of the crops, two factors
are absolutely necessary. First. clean
fruit and good varieties; and second
cooperation.
There will always be a demand for
poor fruit, but it should be so mar
keted that it will not have tenden-
cy to cut the price of good fruit nor
glut the markets at any time. We
need have no fear, however, we care
for our trees that there will always
be plenty of this grade Poor. grades
not only include culls. but also in
clude inferior varieties which in many
cases can be produced cheaply and in
clean condition
we should turn our attention then
to the No. l and fancy grades of high
class varieties and the disposal of
them. The first thing that we must
do is to produce more of these grades.
That is problem for the individual
grower. More care must be exercised
in selecting varieties and in the stock
for planting, cultivating. pruning, fer
tilizing, mulching and other orchard
practices governs the production of
high grade fruit in the orchard, and
must be given more serious attention.
Cost sheets must be kept to find out
how much capital Is involved and how
much 1t costs to bring trees into prof
table bearing, as well as how much
it costs each season to produce the
fruit. Again this Is up to the individual
grower. A great essential then is
uniform production of clean fruit OF
is uniform production in the locality
and finally the uniform production in
the selling unit, which is, or should
be in our case New England.
THE marketing of our crops in
satisfying manner cannot be accom-
plished except in limited way un-
til this condition is realized. 1t is
necessary that all of our fruit be
fancy and capable Of box packing, but
it does mean that practically all the
fruit can be honestly graded into
Fancy and No. l. Many growers have
accomplished this part already and all
can do it If they practice up date
methods of handling their trees.
In regard to the disposal of our
fruit it seems foolhardy to cuss the
commission men at this stage. We
are dependent upon him and should
use I'm instead of abuse him at least
until we are capable of handling our
crops without his aid. Dealing direct
from the producer to the consumer is
great thing. provided both are or
ganized for cooperation purposes AMI
Is absolutely useless to the average
person in either class without this or
ganization.
Organizations the consumer viii
not be satisfactory unless they cad
buy in quantities prodnca that is as