32 AGRICULTURK OF MAINE. 



OUR APPLE PACKAGE. 



By A. K. Gardner, State Horticulturist. 



We are here at this meeting to devise different means of 

 increasing our standards in fruit work and to demonstrate that 

 we have profited by the lessons learned in past years. In some 

 cases the results have not been as good as expected, but on the 

 whole, we are advancing very rapidly and in the right direction. 



Our fruit is more uniform, cleaner and better packed than at 

 any previous meeting, and, while we must improve our methods 

 still more, we have reason to be proud of this showing. 



The different phases of orchard management have been dis- 

 cussed and rediscussed, with the result that there is a growing 

 tendency in all sections to improve and better the handling and 

 growing of fruit. 



More growers each year are finding the advantages of clean 

 culture in their orchards; in the increased vigor of the trees, 

 and in the size, quality and amount of the crop. Most growers 

 are practicing intelligent methods of pruning, taking out the 

 superfluous branches and giving the fruit a chance to color 

 thoroughly. 



Spraying has become a necessity and more and better grade 

 pumps are being installed each season, insuring more fruit free 

 from worm-holes, stings and fungous growth. 



In fact, all the branches of orchard management are receiving 

 increased attention, with the result that our crop this year con- 

 tained a larger percentage of choice fruit than in any past year. 



Now comes the question of marketing. We have trouble 

 each year in disposing of our fruit at even normal prices, be- 

 cause of the fact that dishonest methods have been indulged in 

 too freely during the past few years. Poor grade apples have 

 been mixed with the choice in order to dispose of them, and 



