The daily sentinel., 1914-02-19


I fruit growers continue to contribute
/ to the perretuation of competition
I between themselves will the growers
IN such community be unable to re-
alize the results to which they are
| rightfully entitled. The success of
the strongest marketing organization
, in such community Is influenced by
the operations OF the weakest organ
ization. One Of the reasons for the
low prices OF peaches in the Palisade
7 district the past year was due TO the
tact that the world was advised
through the medium Of trade paper
advertisements that the Palisade dis
trict would ship sixteen hundred car
loads OF liberia peaches during the
season of 1913. This was the result
/ or superfluous organizations attempt
ing to exploit their strength to the
consuming public and the purehas-
\ ers OF fruits. The passing out OF this
KIND of Information. which no doubt
/ was caused in some cases by the de-
sire to boost the game OF the real
estate man rather than secure prOf-
I its for the fruit growers, is very
harmful and especially so when the
prospective crop at any time OF the
year did not warrant even estimating
over half of that quantity OF peaches.
A number of other matters of ap-
parent inconsequenCe contributed
largely to the low prices received for
peaches and while these matters may
appear trivial TO those who are re-
sponsible for their being issued. they
/ 30 far to control the results which
the Associations are able to obtain
/ for their fruit.
We earnestly trust that some ex-
/ IRENE measures may be applied by
the growers this season toward the
elimination of wormy and blemished
peaches. Such fruit will never pay
the growers for the expense of hand
ling it, besides, one of the very best
markets is absolutely ruined by
dumping into it such quantity of
unsaleable fruit. Should the Asso-
Citations attempt to ship these wormy
peaches outside of the state of Col
orado they no doubt would be liable
to prosecution by the pure food au-
thorities. Also 1t would be unwise
to destroy the reputation of Palisade
peaches in the markets of the east.
and by combining the shipments of
this kind of fruit to one state the
general reputation of the district can
be retained in other localities. We
would recommend some concerted
action by the peach growers of the
Palisade district prohibiting any CO.
operative association or shipper from
shipping wormy peaches. and when
1t is so true that the growers lose
money on practically every box ship
ped, besides running good markets.
we cannot see why there should be
delay in taking such action.
Pick Pears Closer.
Referring to pears. The experience
O h.a
that our first picking of Bartletts is
not close enough. For several years
we have experienced numerous trou-
bles and losses on account of our
Bartletts reaching market ripe or col
oring and we would suggest that
Bartletts be picked closer the first
/ time over and the trees stripped the
second picking. The size of the
pears is somewhat improved by al
lowing them to remain on the trees
but the fruit is also maturing very
rapidly and under normal conditions
the siX-tier green Bartlett will bring
more money to the grower than the
fiye-tier Bartletts which reach mar
let ripe or coloring. Also we believe
the growers can save considerable ex-
pense by picking closer the first time
over The Anjou pear is about the
only variety which should be grown
and packed four-tier size. This vari-
ETY. finds its best market in South
America, where the large sized fruit
is in demand. Practically all of the
United States markets prefer five
tier pears and aside from the Anjou
we would recommend packing as few
four-tier pears as possible. Anjou
pears, If properly handled, can be
grown to four tier size as easily as
five-tier and the present market val
ne is from SO cents to rs cents per
box more than for the five-tier.
We have recently been informed
by the purchasers of the majority of
our Anjou pears that better results
can be secured for this variety If the
number of pears the box contains is
stamped on the end OF the box rather
than the tier and we would recon-
mend to the growers of Anjou pears
that in the future they mark the
ANXIOUS with the number of pears the
box contains, which for the four tier
size will be S0-90-t00-1I0 and 120 to
the box. We consider this a very
important piece of information, and
l trust that the growers of Anjou
pears will place it in operation.
The thinning of pears in this val
| ley seems to be one of the lost arts.
| or Is very mncn neglected. We are
producing entirely too many small
pears These are not desirable and
we believe the time is not far dis
tant when these six-tier pears and
smaller sizes which are put in half
boxes will be found unsaleable at
I profitable prices. The Association
should. for the benefit of the grow
ers, refuse to ship pears which are
smaller than five tier. Some very
radical movement along this line is
going to be absolutely necessary un-
less the growers will make greater
effort to reduce the. quantity of these
small sizes. Every dollar spent in
the proper thinning of pears, espe-
cially Bartletts, Refers and ANXIOUS,
will net the growers at least 100 per
cent profit. and l have no doubt
many of the growers who do thin
| their pears properly could testify
/ tbat Inn nor papt &c ton Low