VERMONT AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 73 



a sure sale at a good price for his fruit he had better look up 

 the best commission man and ship under his advice. Having 

 found a good commission house, the fruit grower ought to 

 ship to the same consignee year after year. This will great- 

 ly facilitate the sale of fruit, providing always that the fruit 

 is good. 



In packing for shipment to a distance many persons 

 slacken their consciences with the thought that the fruit will 

 fall into the hands of strangers and the packers will not be 

 held personally responsible for it. In this way they allow 

 themselves to fall into careless or fraudulent packing which 

 they would not attempt in their home markets. This is a fa- 

 tal mistake. Any faults in packing are always taken out of 

 the shipper; and besides they are made excuses for robbing 

 him still further, providing the commission man has anv in- 

 clination to take advantage of the case. If some small apples 

 are found in the middle of a barrel the whole lot is marked 

 down a grade lower, and the consignor is compelled to take 

 what he can get for it. Especially if the shipper sends to the 

 same house year after year, a reputation for honest packing 

 and good fruit is ot inestimable value in helping the sales 

 along. This is one of the principal explanations of the fine 

 prices brought by Mr. H. D. Allen's apples, as related at the 

 beginning of this article. 



SUMMARY. 



The whole matter may be summarized as follows : 



1. Select good, well drained land. 



2. Plant with good stock, about 40 feet apart each way. 



3. Cultivate thoroughly. 



4. Fertilize liberally. 



5. Prune intelligently. 



6. Spray annually. 



7. Pick, grade and pack carefully. 



8. Store at home. 



9. Sell judiciously. 



10. Study the business continually in all its details ; and 

 if you are in the business for the money it will bring give it 

 the same thorough attention that you would give to any other 

 business. Managed in that way, commercial apple growing 

 is one of the most profitable industries in Vermont. In fact, 

 there is no state in the Union where it is more profitable. 



