STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 1 25 



regard to the formation of flower buds have attracted world- 

 wide attention. While ranking as a horticulturist, leading 

 botanists recognized his ability and studied his experiments with 

 care. He was a critical student, an accurate observer and a 

 deep thinker, and all his great ability was given to the cause of 

 horticulture that he loved so much. Maine fruit growers join 

 with others in paying tribute to his memory. 



APPLE BOXES. 



The apple box has been under discussion in Maine for several 

 years. Some years ago on the advice of buyers more or less 

 fruit was sent abroad in boxes. There was an entire mis- 

 apprehension on the part of the fruit growers, for they seem to 

 have thought any fruit packed in a box would be jumped at by 

 buyers at a fancy price. They were doomed to disappointment, 

 but they learned that wrapping and packing did not make a 

 number two apple a number one. Another thing that has been 

 learned in more positive form is that the demand for boxed apples 

 is only for the finest fruit for dessert, although the Ben Davis 

 has sneaked in here, probably on account of its good looks. Like 

 many other lessons in recent years, the west is teaching us how 

 to pack fruit. In the winter of 1903 when apples in barrels 

 found a very dull market and low prices, Spitzenburghs and 

 Newtown Pippins from Oregon travelled across the continent, 

 packed in bushel boxes, and sold at $3 to $6 a box. To show 

 our people what this meant, a bushel box of Spitzenburghs were 

 purchased in the New York market for $4 and sent to Cornish 

 where a meeting was held. The sides of the box were one-fourth 

 inch material and the ends three-fourths inch. Each apple was 

 wrapped in white paper with thick blue paper between the layers 

 and on the top and bottom. It was an excellent object lesson. 

 This box for apples will be still further considered by the 

 society. 



Some correspondence grew out of this box of apples, in which 

 Maine growers will be interested. Mr. H. W. Collingwood of 

 the Rural New-Yorker wrote : 



