REPORT OF STATE HORTICULTURIST. 83 



"We cannot afford to pay it." The price must be down so that 

 they can have what they want. 



Mr. Bateman : I agree with the remarks just made, that 

 we must come down to the consumer, but we have just heard 

 it said that there is a vast difference in the fruit, but there is 

 also a vast difference in the consumer. There are plenty of 

 men willing to pay a good price for apples but they cannot get 

 them. You people bring us simply the culls. 



Who bought these 16,000 barrels? Now, that price was only 

 the wholesale price and retailers paid better than $4.00 a box. 

 It will be a question before we can raise enough to supply even 

 that market, "Are not our apples as good as the western 

 apples?" We must raise better apples. 



Another thing, we can't come in here and hunt around. If 

 we knew who the people were who were willing to pay the 

 price! But we can ship in car-load lots and get a good price. 

 If we can only praise the goods there are lots of people who 

 will pay the price for the best quality. 



Question: I would like to ask if you shipped some apples 

 to the manufacturers of the Stanley Steamer. 



Mr. Conant: I shall have to explain that a little. Prof. 

 Sargent telephoned me saying that he wanted me to send him 

 a box of Mcintosh Reds. I put up a nice box of apples for him. 

 Mr. Stanley is a western apple buyer, and he always thought 

 there was nothing like the western apples, and that we did not 

 know how to raise apples in the State of Maine. And he 

 went on to tell me his idea of the Maine apples, but when he 

 saw this box of Mcintosh Reds, he said, "I have got to change 

 my mind a little, but send me another box of these apples." 

 He thought those were wonderful. 



So, at Christmas, we sent him another box, this time North- 

 ern Spies, and later we sent a bill. It seemed as if it had not 

 had time to reach there before we received a check and this 

 letter which I will read to you : 



"The apples came and were the ffnest Northern Spies bought. 

 They have the best appearance and flavor of any I ever saw, 

 and if the orchards of Maine can produce apples as fine as 

 these, western apples are out of it. Later I will order a box 

 of Baldwins and see what you can do in this line." 



