74 State Horticultural Socictx. 



TPIE APPLE CROP OF 1902. 



(G. T. Tippin, Nichols.) 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen : 



The apple crop of 1902 has come and gone. To many people it was 

 like Paul's Version of faith, "The substance of things hoped for, and the 

 evidence of things not seen." The struggle upon the part of some men 

 to possess it, and upon the part oi others to retain it who already had it, 

 was not equal to the effort required later on to change ownership on a 

 profitable basis either to the grower or dealer. A review of the apple 

 crop of 1902 at this late date even, will renew sad memories upon the 

 part of many of our growers and dealers, and it cannot be justified here 

 unless we may learn some lessons from it. This is the object of this 

 paper; and has been our aim to call your attention to some points of 

 interest, which we think of vital Importance, as far as the handling and 

 distribution of our future apple crops upon a profitable basis is concerned. 

 In referring to the mistakes that have been made in connection with the 

 past year, I have not done so in the spirit of criticism, but have only 

 pointed them out that we might profit by them in the future, fully ap- 

 preciating the fact that results may be as disastrous from mistakes made 

 ignorantly as from those made intentionally. Without proper informa- 

 ;ion we may, and do, mdividually and collectively through the papers 

 ?.nd reports sometimes advise the growers, when it would have been 

 much better to have said nothing, and let things take their natural course. 

 Such was the case to a marked degree as touching the apple crop of 

 1902. Our fruit journals and many of our prominent growers held out 

 the idea that the crop was several million barrels less than the crop of 

 1 90 1, and advised holding for certain prices, when in fact the crop was 

 almost, if not quite, double that of the preceding year. As a result of 

 these influences, many growers would not sell in the fall at prices the sup- 

 oly would justify the buyers to pay, and stored their own apples. The 

 dealers, feeling that they must store some apples, bought any way, at 

 too high prices, resulting in too many apples being stored for consump- 

 tion during the period of time storage stock is generally moved at a 

 price necessary to cover actual cost. At the same time creating an ab- 

 normal condition in the consumption of apples during the fall and early 

 winter, a period when a large per cent, of the crop could, and would have 

 been consumed at prices in proportion to the supply as compared with 

 former years. 



