188 Appendix. 



The apple barrel of the East is almost entirely replaced here with the bushel 

 box. The "Standard" box is 18x11 i^xlOi/j inches. To accommodate certain 

 .sizes of fruit, there is a "Special" apple box which is 20x11x1014 inches. These 

 are inside measurements with end pieces seven-eieght inches thick. These boxes 

 cost about $9.00 per 100 knocked down. All filled boxes are supposed to weigh 

 50 pounds and contain one bushel of fruit. I'ears, peaches and the choicest apples, 

 particularly the yellow skinned varieties, are commonly wrapped before packing. 

 The packing of fruit in tiers in these boxes gives a uniformity which is almost 

 impossible to secure in barrel packing. Barrels are sometimes used for shipping 

 apples across the sea, as the salt air injures some varieties when packed in boxes ; 

 but these constitute a very small proportion of the fruit marketed. 



VI. THE DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF NOETHWESTFRN FRUIT-GROWING. 



It seems to me that there are five distinctive features of northwestern fruit- 

 growing. Eastern fruitgrowers may consider each of these with profit. 



(1.) It places emphasis on high culture. I believe that northwestern orchards 

 are, as a rule, tilled better, pruned better, and sprayed more thoroughly than 

 most of the orchards in the Atlantic States. There is a special reason for this. 

 The markets of northwestern fruitgrowers are mostly distant, not near by, as in 

 the East. They have found by dear experience that it will pay to ship long dis- 

 tances only the best fruit ; and the best fruit can be grown only under the best 

 culture. Poor fruit, or even medium grade fruit, will not pay the freight. 



(2.) It emphasizes the importance of careful grading and tasty packing. 

 When freight rates are GO per cent of the selling price there is little use in ship- 

 ping poorly packed fruit. Northwestern fruitgrowers have found that the way 

 their fruit is graded and packed is fully as important as its quality. Hence they 

 pay especial attention to securing neat packages, attractive labels, fancy wrapping 

 paper, and aim to have absolute uniformity in the size and quality of the 

 fruit in each package. Many of our eastern fruitgrowers are distressingly lax on 

 this vital point of attractive, uniform and conscientious packing. Northwestern 

 fruitgrowers pack well because it pays well to do so ; eastern fruitgrowers can reap 

 the same liberal reward if they choose. 



f3.) It emphasizes sectional horticulture. The difference in horticultural 

 methods between the various regions of the Northwest is so marked that the fruit 

 grower very quickly recognizes the impossibility of having uniformity in orchard 

 practice. He learns to consider his own farm as unique, and tries to work out a 

 system of his own. To a greater or less extent this is true of every fruit-growing 

 region. There is special need that the fact of the individuality of farms be more 

 generally recognized in the East as well as in the West. 



(4.) It is reaching out for the markets of the world. Northwestern fruit- 

 growers are selling their fine Italian prunes in Europe right under the noses of 

 unwilling Frenchmen, who have prunes of their own to sell. They are shipping 

 apples to Hamburg and to Hong Kong. They are bidding for the fruit trade of 

 the 400 million Chinese, the 40 million .Tapanese and the 11 million Filipinos. 

 This broad outlook on the markets of the world is one of the most striking 

 features of northwestern fruit-growing. 



(a.) It is full of enthusiasm and aggressiveness. The special difficulties and 

 uncertainties in marketing their fruit has made northwestern fruitgrowers keen 

 liusiness men as well as skillful cultivators. Lack of business acumen in market- 

 ing is fully as often responsible for unsuccessful fruit-growing a lack of skill in 

 culture. The horticulture meetings of the Northwest are full of snap and vim ; 

 every man seems to have a lot of questions which he wants answered right away. 

 The agerness of these men to learn, to find a better way than the old, is very 

 apparent. 



Generally speaking, this broad outlook, this aggressiveness and constant 

 reaching out for the new, are the most striking features of northwestern fruit- 

 growing. Certainly these are the things which make the deepest impression on 

 one who has received most of his horticultural training in the more conservative 



