"^2 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



here, but the great bulk of our orchards are not put on such 

 land, but on fields which have been long in cultivation. 



The other factors which certainly contribute to the present 

 lead of the western grower — but which we must pass by with a 

 mere mention are : 



(7) Their better laws, already discussed, and which I doubt 

 if we are ever able to duplicate here because of lack of popular 

 support. 



(8) The tremendous development of co-operation, another 

 thing which I fear we can never hope to duplicate here, or at 

 least not for many years. 



(9) The fact that their trees are all young, and are conse- 

 quently bearing their very best fruit at the present time. This 

 of course will "mend itself." 



Turning now to the eastern side of the question, I am going 

 to merely state what it seems to me are our advantages, because 

 I have spoken of them so often before. 



As I look at the situation our advantages are as follows : 



( 1 ) That we are close to our markets. I was told in Hood 

 River that it cost them 89 cents a hundred to get their fruit 

 to Chicago, and $1.00 to get it to New York. Two boxes are 

 accepted by the railroads as the equivalent to 100 pounds. Mr. 

 M. H. Shepard, the editor of "Better Fruit" says in the 

 December number that it costs about 50 cents a box to grow the 

 fruit. This makes $1 per box or nearly $3 per barrel which it 

 costs them to land their fruit in New York or Boston. Cer- 

 tainly our New England orchardists can make money, and good 

 money, at $3 per barrel in Boston, so that we are in a position 

 to make orcharding pay, and pay well, on a price that would just 

 cover expenses for the western grower. 



(2) That our apples are better in quality than the western 

 apples. Of course the westerners, won't admit this, and even 

 some easterners doubt it, but I cannot believe that the impres- 

 sion would be so general among consumers if it were not backed 

 up by fact. I am not prepared to say that the western apple 

 is not as good as the eastern apple when it is picked. Perhaps 

 it is. Perhaps the long journey affects the quality. But I do 

 believe that you would not find so many complaints of the lack 

 of flavor in the western apples if there were not something in 

 the charge. And I believe that the better prices the past two 



