126 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



"So far as I have been able to learn most of the experiments 

 in selling boxed fruits have been very successful. In some cases 

 packers put a poor quality of fruit into the boxes and lost money 

 by doing so. As a rule, however, when they use good judg- 

 ment and pack only the best fruit I think they are well satisfied." 



Mr. Wm. M. Higgins of the same paper, through whose 

 co-operation the fruit mentioned, was obtained, wrote : 



This is a typical box of Oregan Spitz. There were larger 

 ones earlier in the season, and I have seen smaller ones that sold 

 for nearly as much. I opened the box on the side and looked 

 at a few, which appeared to be all right, but did not disturb many 

 as I want your people to see them just as they were packed. 

 The cost was $4. You will probably find the quality of these 

 inferior to eastern grown fruit. I know that you can grow 

 Spitz, larger and handsomer than many of these. The only 

 reason that I can see for these high prices is the handy and 

 attractive way in which they are put up. I am not yet ready to 

 recommend the general use of boxes. Too many low grade 

 eastern boxed apples have come here, so that dealers have 

 become prejudiced and few will recommend the box. I have 

 seen boxes made of old weatherbeaten timber, and wormy apples 

 and culls mixed in. Such fruit will go better in barrels, as it 

 falls flat by comparison with other boxed fruit. A man whom 

 I worked for on the farm had a saying for people who jump at 

 conclusions or sail in without investigation. It was "Go slow 

 and study philosophy." That will apply to the boxed apple 

 business. It is very well to experiment, but I would not advise 

 anyone to sink much money in it until he sees how he is coming 

 out, and what he has to compete with in the way of package 

 packing and fruit. Your people can raise the apples and there 

 is no reason why they should not have this high class trade, at 

 least their share of it, if they feel their way along carefully. I 

 have written this warning at some length to show that there are 

 two sides to the matter and keep people from going astray. 

 There are some western apples which we have not thus far been 

 able to equal in appearance in the east. I have seen Newtown, 

 Jonathan, Lawver and White Pearmians with most beautiful and 

 delicate coloring. Such apples retail at almost any price, but 

 there is no use in our bothering our heads about color shades in 

 fruits that no one has been able to approach here in commercial 



