126 



STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



IRKEGULAE PACKAGES.. 



Touching irregularity in the size of packages, there is nothing particularly 

 new in the situation, so far as the country practice is concerned, and I have at 

 this time no further suggestions to offer. I may remark, however, that the 

 retail growers of the country now have a large and rapidly spreading organiza- 

 tion, one of the leading objects of which is to detect and resist adulteration and 

 short weights and measures. This has helped my firm, and benefited our pat- 

 rons in the selling of cranberries in full-sized packages, and I hope it has 

 equally hindered those that practice or abet short measure. 



THE CROPS ON THE VINES. 



After detailing the correspondence with reference to this year's crop the sta- 

 tistician summarized as follows: The ratio between these crop statements and 

 crop estimates, when applied to the crops of last year, as hereinbefore deter- 

 mined, will show the following results in bushels: 



Crop 1886. 



New Jersey. .. 

 New England. 

 Wisconsin, etc 



Totals 



227,843 



289,305 



76,686 



593,834 



We may, therefore, in round numbers, call the last crop of the country 

 750,000, and the crop now on the vines as estimated at 600,000 bushels. 



The apple crop last year proved larger than was expected, and prices were 

 low, but not so low as cranberries. 



The statistician of the department of agriculture, in his August reports t)f 

 last year and this year, rated the condition of the apple crops in the principal 

 apple States as follows: 



Maine 



Massachusetts 

 Rhode Island- 

 New York 



New Jersey... 



Ohio 



Michigan 

 Indiana. . 

 Illinois. .. 

 Missouri . 



1885. 



54 

 65 

 45 

 55 



1886. 



95 



83 

 90 

 77 

 85 



Thus indicating a larger crop this year than the last. 



The encouraging features about cranberries are, that while the crop of the 

 country is, by the showing of this report, about 20 per cent, smaller than last 

 year, many must have last season used this fruit freely for the first time, and 

 will desire it again. If the present crop estimates are realized, prices must be 



