White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-11-12
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SIZES up
APPLE SITUATION IN NATION

All the apples in this district are
under cover now and large percent.
age of them have been packed although
the two warehouses in White Bluffs
expect to be working on the packout
until the latter part of this month OF
the fore part of December. A rather
interesting summary of the apple sit.
uation was released by the United
States Bureau of Agricultural Econ.
onlics during the latter part of Octo.
Der. It reads:
The main difference in the apple
situation this year is in the size oi
the crop. Commercial production as
indicated by the October estimates is
one-sixth greater than last season and
about one-fourth larger than the aver.
age. There were one-fourth more ap-
pies grown for market in the barrel
region and 4 to per cent more in the
box region than in 1925.
Estimates of production were re.
duced about 3La million bushels in the
October report as compared with the
September estimate. The decreases
for the month were quite general but
greatest losses were in the Pacific
Northwest, where frost damage and
other causes brought decrease OF
about million boxes under the Sep
tenber estimate. Possibly further
damage will appear as result of the
severe cold. The market crop in
Washington and Utah was reckoned
in October to be slightly less than
that of last year, and the crop in Idaho
about one-third less, but other north
western States are still ahead of the
1925 production. Model. decreases
for the month were reported in most
leading eastern sections except West
Virginia.
Apparently the problem of market
ing the eastern crop centers in the
increase in New York of $4,000 bar
rels over last season, Pennsylvania
100000 and Virginia 100000. The
crops in Virginia, West Virginia and
western Pennsylvania are difficult to
handle to advantage because of their
great quantity and the limited facilities
for satisfactory storage.
So much for the production, which
evidently is greater than that of last
season nearly everywhere. Other con-
ditions affecting the market are the
quality, the probable demand and the
export situation. All of these features
at present seem much like those of
last season. The question of success
ful marketing seems to depend on
whether sales can be increased by one
sixth or whether market supply will be
reduced that much because of further
waste and freezing, or by close grad
ing, or by other means. Or, what is
more Likely, both the supply and de-
mand may be changed and controlled
enough to improve what seems at first
sight to be rather unfavorable mar
keting prospect.
Supply has been reduced already in
the Northwest not only by freezing
but bv early shipment and early ex-
port of part of the crop; also by a
tendency to unusually close grading of
the fruit in that section. Some local
authorities assert that shipments may
not be much heavier than those of last
season. In the Rocky Mountain re-
gion a great deal of fruit seems to
. have gone to waste from lack of buy
Fers and from various other causes.
\ In the eastern States the total sup
ply has been reduced by failure to har-
vest a considerable part Of the sum-
mer and fall crop. The presence OF
more or less scab in this region to-
gether with the low prices will tend
to compel close grading. In the South
east, particularly in Virginia and West
| Virginia, there was an immense crop
| foir f4 s,~ e11Nr <<,
large sizes. A part of the early supply
in this region found welcome outlet
in the foreign markets. 1t is evident
that considerable part of the crop
less fortunately situated has been going
! to waste from lack of buying offers.
Nearly all the available space in local
cold storage was taken long ago and
good facilities for common storage
are limited in this region. Crops of
some orchards were left late on the
trees exNosinG them to damage by
freezing.
In the northeastern apple region the
situation was reported quiet and dull
because of an absence of vigorous
buying movement. Not all the avail
able space in cold storage had been
engaged at last report. Closer grad
ing was practiced here as elsewhere,
to some extent, because prices were
too low and buyers too critical to en-
courage the packing and shipping of
poor fruit.
No doubt the generally closer grad
ing and better packing will help the
demand for apples. Western shippers
are using the new apple-wiping ma
chimes extensively. The fruit has
been generally free of spray sediment
and its appearance was helped sur
prisingly by the process. The country
wide publicity given to the news of
this good crop Of fine fruit probably
has increased the demand although
markets have often been reported dull
because Of the heavy supplies Of home
grown apples. General business con-
ditions continue good and consumers
are able to buy fruit in liberal quanti-
ties. s
In the principal apple regions, prices
started 10%-25% lower this season
and have shown some tendency to
further decline. BY October apples
were selling about 25% below last sea-
sons level and one-third less than the
price two years ago. So far as COM
parisons could be made prices were
somewhat lower in the West for the
came varieties and similar packs. Thus