Miscellaneous. ■ 353 



these great orchards, vineyards and berry fields is but httle when com- 

 pared with the aggregate produce of the millions of smaller ones that 

 are scattered over the county. 



At the recent meeting of the Western New York Horticultural So- 

 ciety, where I was in attendance, this subject came up for discussion. 

 There were many wise and experienced fruit growers there, who were 

 in the most serious mood as business men, and they expressed themselves 

 as in no wise troubled about the outlook. They do not fear that the 

 business of fruit growing is being 'overdone. 



In my opinion, the main reason for the present high prices of fruit 

 that generally rule the markets of America, and that is likely to maintain 

 them in the future, is, that we are getting to be more and more a race of 

 fruit consumers. In the early days of our history, when fruit was grown 

 with far less trouble than now, because of the absence of many of our 

 most troublesome and destructive insects and fungus enemies, there was 

 very little profit in growing it. It is true enough that many of the varie- 

 ties were not so good as those we have now, but they had a few that were 

 excellent and that remain among our best kinds of today. Go'od winter 

 apples sold for from 25 cents to 50 cents per bushel and sometimes much 

 less. Peaches brought still less. Grapes had almost no sale at all, and 

 berries the same way. Brandy, cider and wine were the principal products 

 manufactured from fruit, and many orchards of both apples and peaches 

 were planted solely for the making of these drinks. Now we do not hear 

 of any such thing, and all the brandy and cider that is made is out of 

 the scraps. However, there are great vineyards planted especially for 

 making wine. Oranges were almost a curiosity in the markets when our 

 fathers were children, but now they are almost as abundant as good ap- 

 ples in some of our leading markets, in the flush of their season. 



How has all this change come about? x^side from the mere fact in 

 the case, of the eating of fruit by our people, instead of drinking its 

 juices in alcoholic form, there are several other reasons. The very cheap 

 and quick means of transportation makes it possible for those to get fruits 

 in the fresh state who could not do so b§fore ; and these facilities are 

 getting better every day. The cost of production has been greatly less- 

 ened by improved methods of culture and handling. Evaporating and 

 canning have become established branches of the fruit industry. They 

 utilize millions of tons of fruit every year, and much of that which might 

 otherwise go to waste, because of its poor quality or abundance. An- 

 other very important factor in the fruit business is our exportations. 

 Great as they are now they are only well started. Our fresh fruits are 

 sent abroad in large quantities, but the canned, preserved and evaporated 

 H-33 



