Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-10-17
New England Apples
Satisfactory Market

The fall movement or new ELS
land apples marketward has been
unusually heavy, but prices at the
larger markets have held at levels
satisfactory to most growers. Pro-
ducers in touch with these larger mar
kets or having an active market at
the roadside enjoy many advantages
not open to producers located in re-
moter regions and out of the main
streams of travel.
Prices are somewhat lower than at
this time last year but during the
week ending October 8 the Boston
market received 1000 more local ap-
pies than during the corresponding
week in any of the past three years.
In view Of this heavy movement pre-
vailing prices may be considered
good.
The production Of commercial ap-
pies in the United States is estimat-
ed at 3O,134000 barrels or five per
cent greater than last year. In New
York, which ships great many APP
Piles to Boston and other New Eng
land markets the commercial crop Is
80 per cent. above last year. WASH
ington usually produces about one
fourth of the commercial apple crop
of the country and this year has n
crop of S,160,000 barrels, or % per
cent. above last years crop and 8
per cent above her average crop for
the last 5 years. A considerable part
of the Washington crop consists Of
Winesaps, an important competitor
of Eastern Baldwins.
The outstanding feature of the
New England crop Is the relatively
large crop of good quality Mcintosh.
Massachusetts reports 90 per cent. of
a full Mcintosh crop and Maine and
New Hampshire, crops of IS and 81
per cent. respectively. The Baldwin
crop is light but of good quality. The
short Baldwin crop will facilitate the
marketing of the large Mcintosh crop
by frightening the season during
which they can be sold. The season
is earlier this year than last and
Macs were the leading variety in the
Boston market shortly after the mid
die of September. More Macs are
also moving into storage this year
than last. On October this year,
80, 900 boxes and 5000 barrels of ap-
pies had moved into cold storage in
Boston as compared with 5000 boxes
and 200 barrels last year at this time.
The carlot movement of apples
up through September and the first
few days of October was thirteen to
fourteen per cent larger than last
season.
However. in spite Of the larger
commercial crop, the total production
of apples in the United States is es-
Tod Of tD1o bte
is Is million bushels less than last
year and II million bushels less than
the average for the last five years.
For this and other reasons it seems
probable, that, while prices may con-
tinue at a level somewhat lower than
last year, the apple market will new
ertheless be fairly strong for New
England growers. New York apples
are not subject to. a very heavy
freight rate but freight charge of
about rs cents per bushel on apples
from the North West gives the New
England growers a distinct advan-
tage in supplying local markets.
According to the October 18th Spe-
cial Apple Market Report issued by
the Massachusetts Department of
Agriculture A ~ inch Mcintosh
are now selling at S2.25 to $50 per
box which is only 25c per box below
the 1924 price for the same grade. A
212 inch Macs are selling mostly at
$500 which is 25 to so cents below
! the price on this grade last year. This
difference in price is not alarming in
view of the large crop of Macs re-
sulting from the combination of Il
very full crop and the coming into
bearing of recent new paintings of
this variety. Farmers pack. hand
picked Macs, tumble pack, "a inch
up, A and B mixed, bring from s1.50
to S2.25 with S1.50 to $1.75 the usual
range on ordinary packs.
Probably half of the apples not
gathered were blown off by the re-
cent storm. This will, no doubt,
! cause a heavy movement of drops to
market in the immediate future and
viii reduce the quantity available for
the later market and for storage.
V. A. Sanders,
c. D. Stevens,
StatiSticians