I06 AGRICULTURE OF MAINE. 



Mr. Conant: I don't want Mr. Hedrick to go back with 

 the idea that we are all planning to sell our fruit in boxes. Such 

 is not the case. Our aim is to grow good barrel apples and sell 

 them at a reasonable price, and also to increase consumption. 

 But speaking of certain table varieties, I question whether we 

 could ever ship to the markets out of New England in such a 

 package. It has to go out, from the fruit growing districts in 

 car load lots to get the minimum rate, and I question about the 

 basket package ever being a practical package to pile into a car. 

 Prof. Hedrick : They do peaches right along. You can 

 handle them splendidly. 



Mr. : I am glad to know that, but it did not appear 



to me it would be a proper package for us to try to ship apples 

 in by freight, quite a distance. 



Mr. Gardner: I would like to ask Prof. Hedrick — is that 

 a heavier basket than the ordinary? 



Prof. Hedrick : No, it is the common bushel basket with a 

 board top and a round peg that sets down in the middle of the 

 basket that the top rests on, as well as on the side, so that in 

 stacking them the upper layers of baskets do not rest on the 

 fruit in the lower layers. There is no crushing the apples at all. 

 Question: Can you give us the price of those baskets? 

 Prof. Hedrick : I can't give you the price ofThand, I think 

 it runs from twelve to fifteen cents a package. 

 Question : Not as much as the boxes ? 



Prof. Hedrick: No, not as much-* as the boxes — not with 

 the expense of packing. 



Mr. Keyser : I think when we talk about box fruit we are 

 apt to overlook the fact that apples are of many varieties and 

 numerous grades, and when they get into the market they reach 

 the various channels, as a rule, where they belong. I believe 

 the fancy table apples should be boxed. I don't raise the fancy 

 stufif. Mine are largely Baldwin and Greening. But a short 

 time back I was talking with Mr. Hallowell, of Philadelphia. 

 Mr. Hallowell has the fruit business on the Pennsylvania rail- 

 road division between New York, Philadelphia and Harrisburg, 

 which we all recognize as very considerable. Mr. Hallowell 

 told me fancy apples like Mcintosh should be put up in some 

 shape — like two dozen in a package, that can be sold at their 

 fruit stands — that a man can carry home with him at night to 



