42 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



fully ? — that is, to ask a sufficient number in each county to 

 make estimates of your crops, and then use that as the basis for 

 computing the percentage of increase or decrease from last year, 

 and along with that, ask you to give your judgment on the crop 

 in your immediate neighborhood or locality, perhaps half a dozen 

 orchards, or at most, not more than a dozen that you have seen 

 and know about pretty well, and in comparison with what you 

 consider a crop or a full crop for that locality. One would be a 

 check on the other, you see. Now, Mr. Keyser, I wish you 

 would tell us what you think about this method. Do you think 

 that would be feasible? Could you take that into your orchard 

 and into your neighborhood and use it? 



Mr. Keyser : Yes, I do not know how that would work out. 

 Mr. Sanders : First, an inquiry asking you to make an esti- 

 mate in barrels of your own crop, and then give your judgment 

 in percentage of your immediate neighborhood, perhaps half a 

 dozen orchards. 



Mr. Keyser: I think that is feasible. I think that would 

 work out. We have been doing it on our own. 



Mr. Sanders : Having those two forms of questions, you 

 would have a check, one against the other. 



Mr. Keyser: In most years. Of course there would be an 

 exception now and then. 



Mr. Sanders : How near did you come on your own crop 

 this year? 



Mr. Keyser : Between eight and nine per cent short, over- 

 estimated that much. 



Mr. Sanders : In barrels, how much would that be ? 

 Mr. Keyser: Roughly speaking, we estimated about 1200 

 and we packed short of iick), but we threw out a lot of scabby 

 Greenings. That is, as I said, where your exception is coming 

 in. You can get at it somewhere near. That is all you expect, 

 any way. 



Mr. Sanders: The experience of these thirty-seven men 

 seemed to indicate that the average would come pretty close 

 to the facts. That is, the total number of barrels estimated by 

 these thirty-seven men came within three per cent of the total 

 barrels that they actually packed, and that is a very satisfac- 

 tory figure. If you can get within five per cent of a crop, like 

 apples, you ought to feel happy. Mr. Sweetser, have you a 

 word for us about that? 



