The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1914-06-26
GOOD PRICES CERTAIN
FOR 1914 APPLE CROP
Leading Marketing Agencies Predict EnOr-
nous Crop This Year-GOOd Prices
are Looked For

will be the ruling prices for the crop Of
1914. Apple growers are especially
interested. Reports country wide in
dicate the national apple crop will not
fall far below 1912 production of SO
million barrels. The all absorbing
query is-Will the market go to pieces
as it did in that disastrous year.
This question has been submitted
by the Wenatchee Daily World to three
leading marketing agencies, the We
natchee Produce Company, which hand
led the largest tonnage in this valley
last year, the Northwestern Fruit Ex-
change and the North Pacific Fruit
Distributors, w. c. Michael of the
Gibson Fruit Co., Chicago, is spend
ing the summer and fall at Wenatchee.
His firm handles considerable of its
tonnage.
I do not think the crop this season
will equal that of 1912 by consider
able,' said Michael; but for the sake
of argument, let US suppose it will be
the same. To my notion there is no
chance for such disaster as two years
ago. Ever since 1896 we had been
getting good prices. Production had
been quite low and uniform. We were
totally unprepared for 50,000,000 bar
rels. Over confidence had chloro-
formed us. We saw reports of enor-
nous production, but could not realize
the need OF making unusual prepar-
ations.
Then carloads began to arrive at
the centers which soon became glutted
Some shippers were able to reach the
remote markets and got fair prices;
I 1but most of the fruit was slaughtered
or rotted Panic seized all but re-
tailers. They made more profits than
ever.
Nov things are different. We
learned lesson in 1912 and 1913.
No more overconfdence. We are
watching crop reports from New York
to California. Not much more con-
signment. We have learned the wis
dom Of putting fruit into consumption
as rapidly as the market will take it,
and at the ruling price when demand
exists. Wider, more thorough and
intelligent distribution has multiplied
demand. Growers are willing to ac-
cept what consumers can pay. There
will not be decentralization of prices
this year. We may not get quite SO
much for apples as 1911 or 1913, but
there will be mighty little red ink"
For a month it has been morally
certain that the national apple crop
this year will be whopper," said w.
F. Gwin of the Northwestern Fruit Ex
change to a Daily World representa-
tive in Portland last week. Every re-
port daily confirms early prognostica-
tions. Of course, there is plenty of
time for something yet to happen.
Even in the best valleys of the North
west there has been considerable drop
ping lately; but so far this has merely
saved growers the expense OF thinning.
Western New York is going to have
the biggest crop in its history. 1t is
the largest apple producing section in
the world. Colorado and Virginia re-
ports sound very Notwithstanding
like we heard in 1912, heaven save US.
"One good thing about it--none OF
US need worry but that every market
ing agency will have all the fruit it can
efficiently distribute. AS for ourselves
the exchange is more concerned this
year in getting the money for its grow
ers than in begging for very much
larger tonnage than it is already obli-
gated to handle.
1--WE hear much about the disaster
of 1912. but it was not so calamitous
for some growers as the public has been
led to believe. For instance, Presi-
dent Sugrue of the Cashmere Union
says Cashmere growers made money on
the 1912 crop. They averaged 70
cents per box. The books Of the We
natchee Orchards Bonds Company show
that production, including packing and