The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1918-01-03
HIGHER Standard for Maine
Apples.

,yhot is the reason that many orchard
fine State of Maine do not awake
the splendid opportunities we have in
cate for the growing of strictly hlgh
snples, and secure and hold the
t,r this high grade fruit? Look in
a.,I stores in the cities. What do
. for apples? Are they grown in
II ,..a or do they come from a distant
.-,al the country?
srpe amount of fruit is used every
ii, the eastern part of the country
Il nile who want first class fruit. They
orone the best paid people IN the
-5 and when they can purchase fruit
,4 and packed in the right way in the
a ,tsts of Maine, they are Wiling to pay
good prices for it. .
rs consider what is the result OF
..,,y first class fruit packed right and
,,,..red in good condition at the stores.
...,,ed at fruit store in one of our
,,,ire titles the last of November, 1917,
.gj inquired of the man If he had any
,,,,pe crown apples, and was Informed
..,, ne did not have any, but had line
..,r western grown apples that he was
Hing at five cents each or fifty cents
.,s, He also had some smaller sized
.,,ies of the same variety at forty cents
iozen.
I,.f think of apples raised thousands
., ri,jes away shipped across the country
al hen sold right in the heart OF the
.,p.e growing section of the State OF
Maine at prices that we have been unable
,et for our Maine grown fruit. Does
OTIS. one claim that the western apples
.-s .uDerior in flavor to ours? Are there
,og apples grown anywhere that are
..,erior in flavor to our Mcintosh Red,
--ayepstein, or Northern Spy when they
alp crown under proper conditions?
When our orchardists take the best
.,rc of their trees by cultivating, pruning
and spraying, they will get better results.
The trees should be thoroughly sprayed
and the ground we'll cultivated and fer
LIKED The trees should be pruned' so
hat they will be OPEN headed, thus al
lowing the sun and air to penetrate all
..7ts If the tree By this method the
i-.t ought to be high colored and free
.-,m Imperfections. The fruit should be
rnned out so that the apples will be OF
good size.
When this is done, we will be able to
q. TO the leading markets of the East
..th sample of our fruit, and tell them
fiat the goods we deliver will be Just the
.sme as the sample. When we have
,ecured this trade we will be able to re-
arm 1t by having the fruit up to high
.-andard in this way we will be able to
Did the best markets for our apples.
Ihaye had called to my attention this
ear boxed apples that were selling for
a. %. Now, if we can get prices like
hat for our first class fruit, we can use
u The best advantage the other grades
winch are left.
With apple barrels selling in some cases
high as forty-two and forty-fve cents
zach and with the high cost of packing
and shipping, we ought to send our high
Est grade of fruit to the markets in order
10 compete with others in the market In
ms way we shall realize larger profit
from our orchards, and our farms will in
crease IN value, more people will become
n interested in fruit culture, and Maine will
lake her proper place in orcharding.
Each year there are more growers show
nG d real interest. They are packing a
hrst class product and receive very good
-e'lfns for large part of their crop. But
spite of this increase, there are some
she are behind and are not packing
night. These are the people who keep
apples from being what it should be, and
thereby hurt those who are putting up
The better grades
In most commodities now coming to
me public it has been found more remun-
-ralve to market the best product prop
eriy labeled, thus giving every evidence
o.. a square deal on the part of the packer
'td producer. S. A. EATON,
Assistant Horticulturist,
Maine Department of Agriculture,