74 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Apple prices abroad have been exceptionally satisfactory 

 during the season and steamer space was much easier to obtain 

 than in the two years previous. The result of this has been 

 that a great number of apples, especially the best grades, are 

 being exported. Freight rates have been about the same as in 

 191 5, but the returns received for fruit have more than made 

 up for the high rate of transportation, and most shippers have 

 received considerably more net profit than our markets would 

 have returned them. Merchants at Liverpool report that Rhode 

 Island Greenings are in great demand this year and so far they 

 have not been able to procure enough of this variety to supply 

 the market. Starks are being bought at this writing to take 

 the place of Greenings. Other varieties in great demand are 

 the Baldwin and the Golden Russet, both of which have brought 

 exceptionally good prices when properly packed. 



One of the most noticeable factors in the apple market this 

 fall has been the unusual demand for reliably packed fruit, es- 

 pecially the No. I grades, and many apple growers who are 

 just beginning the practice of spraying, report that another year 

 they will not only spray their fruit, but will spray more thor- 

 oughly than ever before. 



Fruit Growers' Associations have sold their apples to great 

 advantage during the year and the Maine Fruit Growers' Ex- 

 change, which was organized in 191 5, reports a most success- 

 ful season, 13,203 barrels of apples having been marketed at 

 the time this report was written. Up to November 10. 8,235 

 barrels had netted the exchange the sum of $25,255.87. A large 

 amount of its fruit was sent to Liverpool with unusually satis- 

 factory returns. 



The table is given below, showing the number of barrels of 

 apples shipped by the various transportation lines in the state, 

 from September i, 1915 to August i, 1916. The actual total, 

 as given above, is 148,266 barrels as compared with 598,487 

 barrels in 1914. 



Following the usual custom, a list of the twelve largest ship- 

 ping stations is also given. 



