76 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that; 



At least, no one has ever done it." 

 But he took off his coat and he took off his hat, 



And the first thing he knew he'd begun it; 

 With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin, 



Without any doubting or quidding. 

 He started to sing as he tackled the thing 



That couldn't be done, 

 And he did it. 



There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done. 



There are thousands to prophesy failure ; 

 There are thousands to point out to you one by one. 



The dangers that wait to assail you ; 

 But just buckle in with a bit of a grin, 



Then take off your hat and go to it ; 

 Just start in and sing :as you tackle the thing 



That "cannot be done" 

 And you'll do it. 



My experience has been largely in trying to sell in the market 

 in which the average individual grower sells. Trouble in grad- 

 ing can be traced to growers. Looking at it from the marketing 

 end, let us go over some of these problems. First, we have un- 

 measured grief as the result of lack of strict grades. Hardly 

 two people can be found who will agree on what a No. i apple 

 should be, under conditions existing in most states. In a year 

 of light production it is anything that can be covered up inside 

 of the barrel. In years like this it must look like a twenty- 

 dollar gold piece. Can such a state of affairs result in anything 

 but misunderstanding, dishonesty and dissatisfaction? Why 

 the very foundation requirement of successful trade is a basis 

 of mutual understanding and confidence. 



When buyer and seller are far apart, stringent rules for grad- 

 ing are vital. You are lucky up here in Maine to have a pretty 

 good grading law, but you cannot reap much of the benefit of 

 such a law without a good organization to advertise and boost 

 thfe sale of apples packed under that law. 



When the individual puts his fruit up right he is often as 

 helpless as before, for perhaps the local buyer fails to give him 



