FORTY-FOURTH ANNUAL REPORT. 107 



terminecl to store their fruit, but they ran into a snag. The dealers have 

 secured all available storage room in the apple growing countries. 

 There is nothing for the fanners but to accept the trust's prices. 



"The plaint of the apple growers is enlightening. When the price of 

 apples goes up the explanation given to the housewife is that the farm- 

 ers are charging so much higher prices than they used to in previous 

 years. The figures presented, showing that the farmers are literally sell- 

 ing their fruit at a loss, narrow down the high cost of living problem, at 

 least as far as apples are concerned, to a point where it is possible to as- 

 certain by whom unduly large profits in apples are made and who or 

 what interests are responsible for unduly large prices." 



In the summer this past year, dealers began to quote apples for fall 

 deliveiw at |1.25 in New York. They sent those prices all over the West, 

 wherever New York State apples had been in the habit of going. This 

 price was subject to confirmation. The growers began to quote f. o. b. 

 New York at f 1.45 to |2.00 and immediately a reply came back that they 

 had been quoted fl.25 f. o. b. New York. The market was demoralized. 

 The cold storage space was taken largely by the farme-rs. The Western 

 men began to notify the buyers they would take the apples at |1.25 but 

 the buyers who had quoted this price were unable to buy apples for that 

 so they began to hedge and pay a little higher price but the market of 

 the West and all the country east of the Mississippi was demoralized 

 and this was brought abont by the dealers quoting on something they 

 had never owned. At present apples are bringing f2.00 and up but the 

 damage has been done to the grower this year. Trobably the same thing 

 will be worked again another year. 



If anyone wants to ask a question, ask it and don't be-afraid, for if 

 it scares me out, I'll sit down. 



My talk yesterday makes me think of an old story we have in New 

 York State: John took Mary for a Hde and he was very bashful, as' 

 most New York State men are, and did not talk much. He rode along 

 M ways and said: "Mary, will you mariw me?" She said: "Sure I will, 

 John." They rode on a few miles further and she looked at John and 

 asked him why he didn't talk some more and he answered: "I have talk- 

 ed too much already." 



In regard to sowing screenings for the cover crop, the screenings I re- 

 ferred to were screenings from alfalfa. I got these from a large seed 

 firm in Buffalo. The only weed was mustard and this makes a good 

 cover crop. The alfalfa grew up last fall about two feet and the mustard 

 was extra, that grew higher. 



Someone asked me if I have any stock running in the orchard. I keep 

 a good many hogs in some of the older orchards. 



I have been asked about the brush burner. The one I use is an old 

 steel lining out of a foundry cupola. It is about y_^" thick and 8x12 ft 

 and the sides are open. This is drawn tlirough tlie orchard and the 

 brush is thrown on. I have had a fire in it for eight days without rene^v- 

 ing it from one time of using it to another. 



I want to say a word of praise in behalf of Mrs. Hulst's ideas. I think 

 she gave a magnificient talk and if Mrs. AUis had been here, she would 

 have clapped her hands if nothing more. I think the country is wrong 

 in cleaning up all the beautiful spots of nature. The coming generations 



