Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-10-09
TOCUT Down COST
OF APPLE PACKING
Statement. Given Out by the
President of State Hor-
ticultural Board.

r. F. Stephens. president of the !
Idaho State Horticultural board, has
given out a statement dealing with
the consumption of apples and how it
can be increased. In this connection
he discusses the advisability of ship
ping Idaho apples in bulk to the east
ern market thereby cutting down the
cost of packing and placing the apple |
in reach of the consumer at a much |
lower cost. Mr.. Stephens said:
"At this season of the year the
orchadist wonders if there is any way
of increasing the consumption of APP
pies. For two months the stores have !
been selling summer and fall apples
by the pound. at four to six cents per
pound. Apples sold by the five, 10, and
% cents worth and carried away in !
pocket or paper sack do not readily
help the consumption of apples. Until
apples can be handled at a price that !
will allow then. to be disposed of by
the box or by the bushel, will con- !
sumption be such as to make a con- |
siderable market for thousands of car
loads of apples? | am credibly IN !
formed that the annual consumption of
bananas has increased to 10000 car
loads; citrus fruit has increased from !
10000 to As 900 carloads. The produc !
ton and consumption of peaches has
increased / firmly believe that the |
per capita and family consumption of
apples has lessened in the last 20 years. !
In the olden times each family pur |
chased five to 10 barrels for winter
use; now, they purchase in pound lots
or an occasional box. Sales have been
restricted by the high retail prices and.l
by the excessive costs OF distribution.
How can the consumption of apples
he increased?
WHAT COLORADO DID.
1.-Two years ago from the state Of
Colorado, ITO cars of apples were ship
ped in bulk with satisfaction to the
grower and consumer. Seven tenths
of the products of the commercial APP
pie orchards of Nebraska are market
ed in bulk cars. In flush years bulk
carloads of apples are shipped from
New York state as far west as Nebras-
ka. Last week L met an apple buyer
seeking 20 carloads Of bulk apples to
be shipped directly 10 the merchants
of western Kansas and to be sold to
farmers and others at the car door at
very moderate values. This gentleman
stated that 1t had been the practice
of the house for years to purchase our
northwestern apples or from any other
source II supply. first class and care
fully graded apples These apples were
shipped in bulk and arrived in condi-
ton to please the customer and to
stand up two or three months for con-
sumption. A long keeping apple, like
the York Imperial or Gano can be
shipped 1900 miles in bulk and arrive
in suitable condition to keep three or
fnIrr months m St fha Of
Idaho are feeling that they cannot af-
ford to pay four or five cents a pound
for apples They hesitate to pay $3.50
per box. At p per bushel or less. most
farmers will purchase 10 to 10 bushels
of apples.
ITO pack apples in box and to pay
the freight on the box costs an average
of 80 cents a box. Handling these APP
pies in bulk the original cost is les
sened by 80 cents a bushel. The farm
er can receive what he desires at the
car door. He pays spot cash at the
moment of purchase. No drayage, de-
livery or book accounts required. The
dealer can safely handle on a margin
of ten cents per bushel. This alo VS.
the householder to give the children all
the apples they care for and to educate
them in the habit of apple eating. In
this way we develop a race of apple
eaters. They will grow up and become
customers for our apples Apples
shipped in bulk cars. does not mean
Gull apples or fruit Of inferior quality
Fancy and choice are shipped together.
The small apples, wormy apples ANA
all other culls are sent to the cider
mill.
In is an experience of 40 years, the
writer has learned that in this way we
train a nation of apple eaters and in
crease the probability of marketing the
tens of thousands of carloads of apples
we will grow here in the northwest.
Our extra fancy grade and very best
varieties can be shipped over the
mountains to people able TO purchase
apples at $l.50 TO 81 per box. Eighty
per cent of the people OF the United
States must either purchase fruit at
very moderate prices or consume very
little. W. S. Mckinney, Il leading orch
ardist of the Boise valley. has repeat
edly stated, That If the orchardist can
secure - cents per bushel for his APP
pies on the tree, or s. cents per bushel
for his apples on the car, the orchard
ist should ask for no better business
It is entirely practicable in the north
west to grow from 400 to 1000 bushels
per acre in q single crop. What we
need is the widest possible distribu-
ton and very greatly increased con-
sumption"