The Benson signal., 1917-09-15
UNCLE SAM TAKES
KEEN INTEREST IN
1877 APPLE CROP
Our Big Fruit Harvest Must Be
Used to Help Save Wheat
and Meat for Allies.
FOOD ADMINISTRATION PLANS
"Consumer Campaign" Throughout the
Land to Aid in Home Consumption
During Autumn, Winter and
Spring of Next Year.

Uncle Sam takes the keenest inter-
est in this years apple crop. For the
fruit must be used to help save wheat
and meats for our allies.
The food administration is planning
consumer campaign of publicity
throughout the country.
This years apple crop calls for in
telligent handling. The latest govern
ment reports indicate crop Of about
19O,OO0,OOO bushels. That is a little
below normal. Good prices are assured
for all honestly packed, first quality
apples, and also for honestly packed,
selected second grades, which govern
ment experts say can be put into stOr-
age. When the crop is big it does not
pay to store second grades, but this
year, despite the fact that we cannot
ship our usual 100000 barrels of ap-
pies abroad, because shipping space is
precious, we should be able to get fair
prices for all good apples at home.
Careless packing of poor quality
causes of market instability and un-
satisfactory prices to the growers.
This year the whole apple industry is
cooperating to remove this market
handicap. There has never been an
apple year such as this one is going to
be. Growers have never been able to
get together and engage and finance
a national educational campaign
among consumers to increase apple
consumption. This year the situation
makes it necessary for the United
States government, through the food
administration, to conduct consum-
er's campaign of publicity on behalf Of
the apple. This campaign will begin
while the crop is being sent to market,
and will probably continue until the
last apple is eaten up late next spring.
So the grower has three great incen-
tives for grading, packing and storing
this crop with especial care.
I. 1t is a good crop and calls for
care.
2. The government will encourage
apple eating and apple storage and
will discourage speculation that raises
the price abnormally.
3. We must eat up at home more.
than two million barrels of apples,
which would ordinarily be exported.
To get the best of the crop to the
market in prime condition it must be
picked carefully at the time of ma
turity and promptly cooled in tenn
porary storage, and then skillfully
graded and packed. Second-grade
fruit should not go into barrels or
boxes. If it cannot be marketed in
bulk in nearby consuming centers,
then it should be worked up into by
products along with the culls.
There has been a gratifying i'm
prOvement in apple marketing the past
two or three years. Western apples
are boxed to strictly honest standards,
by the great cooperative growers or
ganizations in Washington, Oregon,
California, Idaho and Colorado. The
eastern barrel apple has also been
wonderfully improved in New York
and other states. Because apples are
honestly packed and give the best pos
sible value for the money, there is an
increase in the consumer demand. Re-
tail merchants who were formerly al
most afraid to buy apples in barrels,
because they were not sure of getting
marketable values for their money
are now buying freely and in conf
dence. This good work makes it pos
sible for the government to go further
and encourage the use of apples as
wartime food measure.
Because the bulk of the crop will be
picked by volunteer workers this year,
and put into common storage until the
grower can find time to grade and
pack, there will be an opportunity to
give closer personal attention to the
grading and packing than might be the
case if the crop were handled as in
peace times. For the grower who de-
sires instructions in apple packing, the
department of agriculture at Wash
ington has information in bulletin
form. These bulletins can be secured
free by writing to the department.
Growers will do well to obtain a few
copies for their pickers and packers.