Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-09-07
WON'T YOU HELP
DEFEAT KAISER?
Then Use More Apples This Fall
So Meat and Wheat May
Be Sent Abroad.
Federal Food Administration Plans
to Aid HorticuIturists Market
Great Fruit Crop Among
American People.

Word has gone forth that America
must use all of her great apple crop
this year in order to save wheat and
meat for the support of our allies in
war against Germany. Uncle Sam is
taking keen interest in the fruit har-
vest of 1917, because it is vital to vic
tory, and through the food administra-
ton is planning a vast consumer cam
paign" that will create an unpre-
cedented demand for apples for home
use.
This years apple crop calls for in
telligent handling. The latest govern
ment reports indicate crop of about
190,000,000 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 l.
precious, we should be able to get fair
prices for all good apples at home.
Careless packing of poor quality
fruit has always been one of the chief
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 a 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.
1. 1t is 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.
8. 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
mo rIyo+ IN ,,r;,,oo condition If rnuSf ho
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. II it cannot be marketed in
bulk in nearby consuming centers,
then it should be worked up into by
products along with the cu11s.
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
| WOuuSI1ul1y AIApAONON Al 4NOW AOA u
, and other states. Because apples are
! honestly packed and give the best pos
sible value for the money, there is ar
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
t sible for the government to go further
l and, encourage the use of apples as s
1 wartime food measure.
3 Because the bulk of the crop will b.
picked by volunteer workers this year
and put into common storage until thu
grower can find time to grade ant
f pack, there will be an opportunity tt
l. give closer personal attention to TN
n grading and packing than might be th'
e case if the crop were handled as IL
, peace times. For the grower who de
sires instructions in apple packing, tn
department of agriculture at Wash
ington has information in bulletil
n form. These bulletins can be secures
t. free by writing to the department
t. Growers will do well to obtain fey
e copies for their pickers and packers.