DECEMBER MEETING. 235 



Wednesday Morning Session. 



At 9:30 o'clock the meeting was called to order witli a good attendance, and 

 iirst listened to the reading of an essay by J. N. Stearns, of Kalamazoo, on 



PREPAEING FRUIT FOR MARKET. 



This may seem an old and simple subject to many, and \vc do not expect to 

 say anything new, but if by a few illustrations and comparisons we can help 

 to bring about, as we consider it, a great desirable end, we shall feel satisfied. 



AVc have for years looked at the State of ]\lichigan as the fruit State of the 

 Union ; that is, wo can grow a greater variety of fruits successfully than any 

 other one State. Eastern and Southern nurserymen admit this by flooding the 

 State with agents to sell their goods, and a large amount is being planted. This 

 being a fact, it is the duty of this Society to look to all ])oints of interest per- 

 taining to the successful marketing of the same. 



It was said twenty-five years ago that apples would not be worth picking in 

 ten years from that time, and I know of a farmer in western N. Y. that cut 

 down an orchard of ten acres with that idea, but has since planted an orchard 

 of twenty-five acres and is realizing very handsome profits from the same. 



That time has not come, and 1 think never will, Avhen good fruit, j^roperly 

 put on the market, will not bring a remunerative price. The State is com- 

 paratively new, and up to the present time but little more than enough has 

 been grown to supply home consumption, and tlie demand was such that it 

 brought a fair price, no matter in what condition it came to market. But that 

 time has passed, and wo are planting fruits to-day that must look to other 

 States and countries for market, therefore it becomes us we see to it that our 

 fruits are properly assorted and prepared, to give our State the reputation 

 desired. If every individual offering any fruit for market for the next five 

 years, would put it in the best possible condition, what would be the result? we 

 might make our own prices and find a ready market. I one season picked one 

 hundred qts. of strawberries th.at I readily sold for ^25.00, at the same time 

 plenty of inferior fruit was being offered for eight or ten cents per quart. Many 

 will say they cannot afford to sort out the small fruit. I have frequently taken 

 five quarts of strawberries, just as picked from the vines, and assorted them, and 

 got four and one-half quarts of perfect and fine berries, and one and one-half 

 quarts small ones. This rule will apply to apples, peaches, and all fruits 

 where there is a difference in size, the small ones falling in between the large, 

 not helping to fill up but little, and mar the appearance much. We have sold 

 peaches readih', by properly assorting, for three and four dollars per bushel, 

 which would not have brought more than two dollars just as picked from the 

 tree. I have often been interested in watching the effect upon the public 

 of the different modes of putting fruit upon the market. They will pass 

 bushels of fruit throivn together with scarcely a glance, while a single basket of 

 fine fruit put up in a neat and proper shape will cause nearly every one to stop 

 and admire, and even the miser to involuntarily clutch his pocket-book as 

 if in fear some of its contents would go out in purchase of tliat basket. 



The following was my mode of picking and assorting strawberries : I 

 required the pickers to carry two baskets, or boxes, at the same time, one 

 for large and first-class berries, one for small and inferior fruit. They readily 

 adopt this i)lan when you illustrate to them that they are gainers by it in the 



