The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-13
100000 Loss ON
APPLES LAID TO WAR
Exports Fell of 100000
Barrels After Yield Was
Underestimated.
MANY STILL IN STORAGE

Tho April report Of the Department OF
Agriculture. complied under the direction
Of Charles j. Brands. chief Of the Blu
rea Of Markets and Rural ORGANIZATION,
uncovers what 10 called ''one Of tho great
est commercial tragedies known to the
present generation OF apple Dealers" The
or December !. 1915. were approximately
6.154.S55 barrels, Of which 2.o17.2ii bar
reA were still In cold storage on April 1.
showing a consumption Of A.137,6t&
barrels.
A conservative estimate shows that the
owners Of cold storage apples have sus-
tanned a.loas Of over $500. 900 and the
barrels still In tho warehouses will swell
the total TO more than @S.ooo.ooV. The
principal cause Of the heavy loss has
been a falling of Of more than 1000. 900
barrels in the exports OF apples. due to
the inability to obtain room or the
shortage Of ocean freight compelled the
exporters to hold the apples intended for
export until February and March. when
the fruit was thrown on h local and
seaboasd markets. Being composed
largely Of late fall soft apples the best
offers had to be accepted, ~ the fruit
lacked keeping qualities.
Another cause Of the trouble ~ the
Understanding OF the growing fruit in
the orchards during last September. Not
only the Federal inspectors but the
large apple dealers we're amia In their
suesses Of the total yield. The latter
ehortcoming was due to the propitious
growing Observation-Disclosures rains and
sunshine during ne last two weeks in
! August and fvt three weeks In Septem.
Der, causing the fruit to attain q much
larger size than expected.
Many Of the large operators In apples
assert that Commissioner Dillon Of the
Department Of Foods II Markets wal
largely responsible for the present state
Of affairs. They argue that when Mr.
Dlllon's department started to auction
the apples on the trees last September,
the entire apple belt in the United
States became excited and the genera
price Of 50 a barrel for commercial
grades Of apples in storage WAS fully 81
In excess Of the actual value OF thu
fruit. Subsequent happenings lave
borne out this contention. they say.
Last December 1,7G.il6 barrels wer'
marketed at IA loss Of IS cents a barrel
totailing $~1.3I4.oOo. The marketing %
9l3.s94 barrels during January resultet
In u net loss Of over 100000. TRADING
In February was characterized by thu
disposition Of owners to accept a loss
II they could succeed IN getting thelt
fruit moved into consumptive channels
and the I.240.s26 barrels forced on
caused n $I.55l.0O0 deficit.
The accrued charges OF carrying tn
fruit down to March brought the owner
face to face with a loss OF 81 SO a barre
for every barrel that cost So In storag
last October. Thus the reduction OF ].
23O.5O1 barrels was at q penalty TO tn
owners Of more than 3i.si5.1So. To thil
may be added over 32.000.0 600 more
which will not compensate the owner
Of the 100000 barrels Of apples nov
IN storage.
d. Many old and Judicious operators kcp
out OF the market. Some Of the latte
.sscrt that injudicious plungers who wer
buttressed by warehouses competing 70
business brought this disaster on them
selves and their hackers. They say tina
the heavy losses fell on Speculation
largely. while sur got their apple
at reasonable prices.
Commissioner Dillon denied h a hi
department was responsible for tn
present conditions. but said that n
apple spectators themselves we're {
blame. as they underestimated the yiel
and the falling of In the export dc
mand precipitated h present deriorabl
conditions