Oxford Democrat., 1921-05-10
SPRAYING and Marketing.

Walter Dolley's recent address at the
University of Maine was especially appli.
cable to the owner Of small orchard,
outside the recognised apple belt. BE
related bis own experience In rejuvenst-
Ing long neglected orchard on farm
he bought at Old Orchard nine years
ago.
Ny plan, be added, has been each sea-
son to apply the dormant spray as the
buds are swelling, using the winter
strength lime sulphur formula, follow
fling this with the so-oalled pink bud
spray combination lime sulphur and
arseDste Of lead; third, the calyx spray,
formula same as second and follow this
about three weeks later with another
application for second brood of codling
moth. Ia my case, as l have MoIntosh
coming into bearing, q fifth spray i'm
mediately following picking is a neces-
sity In the cam paign against scab, using
the dormant lime sulphur formula.
Results have shown varying degree
of success In proportion to the number
of sprays applied during the season.
In some cases owners of few trees
did not feel returns would warrant four
or FIVE sprayings and have never urged
such q program where there were not
trees enough of marketable varieties.
Usually all have either two or three:
Dormant and calyx or the addition OF
the pink bud for bud moth which is
abundant in our section. Observations
among these small orchards lead to the
conclusion that 1t pays we'll to put on
four sprays.
Grading the fruit tells the story and
IL the seasons spraying has been neg
lected, the percentage of fancy fruit is
so reduced as to cut the selling price In
half, thus entailing loss much In ex-
cess of the cost Of the sprays that would
have insured high percentage of first
grade apples and resulting top notch
prices.
The speaker advocated the use of the
box. instead of the barrel, In marketing
apples, and advised getting In touch
with fruit retailers, selling to them in
attractive packages fruit Of the highest
quality.
There are many outside the apple pro-
ducing ceDters who cannot export their
crop to advantage, neither have they q
fruit growers association to aid them
In solving the marketing problem. 1t
is simply up to this class as Individuals
to work ont their own salvation.
Good salesmanship and sdvertising
are very important factors and select
list Of customers big asset to the small
grower. Local dealers, business and
professional men prefer q fancy Maine
grown apple to the northwestern prod
uct II they can get 1t, and here 10 an eI-
oellent opportunity for the small pro-
ducer because generally the big fellow
ignores this market for larger field.
Northwestern box packed apples DOM
mate our markets to-day because Of the
high standard attained In grading and
packing, and within the last five years
the consumption Of this class of fruit
bss increased amazingly. The retail
dealer prefers to handle it because 1t is
safer proposition for him and the con-
sumner buys It, not because the quality
is superior to the Maine apple, but the
fruit looks more attractive on display.
We cannot demand precedence for our
fruit In home markets. The old CRY,
that tho Maine apple has better flavor,
means nothing unless We back mp this
argument with display of careful grad
ing and packing equal to that Of our
competitors and here lies our great
opportunity.