Paec 10 



BETTER FRUIT 



Fcbniarv 



slantly occur by shi|)iiu'nts being sent 

 at random, totally without regard to 

 the demands of such market for that 

 variety or grade. Markets greatly vary 

 in their deman<ls for character, variety 

 and color of fruits, according to the 

 customs of the people and tastes pre- 

 viously acquired, and this knowledge is 

 of vital importance in supplying their 

 re([uirements. 



Supplies are often forced on the mar- 

 kets unduly by the necessity of getting 

 money for the producers to pay pick- 

 ing and other expenses. The dilliculty 

 growers have in borrowing money 

 from their home banks has much to do 

 with this. Some kind of government 

 aid in this direction might be of good 

 service. 



The Season's Opening Price. — The 

 season for many of our fruits begins 

 with light shipments and the supply 

 for the first few days, which is unequal 

 to the demand for the first arrivals, 

 causes abnormally high prices being 

 paid for the first deliveries, and this 



act establishes the price at retail at 

 too high a level. The retail dealer, 

 because of his custom to have a uni- 

 form average price, instead of changing 

 his price from day to day as the whole- 

 sale market lluctuates, is slow to reduce 

 his opening price, and thus the high 

 price lixed by the first small shipments 

 retards the free consunqjtion that the 

 heavy supply in the midst of the sea- 

 son greatly needs. When a commodity 

 is under at least partial control all 

 ellorts should be made by competent 

 authority to determine the right price 

 in proportion to the season's total pro- 

 duction and maximum consumption, 

 which will distribute the entire crop 

 over the whole marketing season, and 

 which will insure, so far as is possible, 

 stability in market conditions, making 

 it safe for dealers to operate freely on 

 reasonable margins of profit, and fur- 

 nish consumers with prime fruit at 

 reasonable prices. The wrong price 

 results in Ihictuations in supply and 

 demand which cause the consumer to 



pay excessive prices for good fiuit in 

 times of scarcity, or frequently to 

 receive stale, unpalatable fruit at prices 

 out of prf)i)ortion to the ruinously low 

 prices obtaining in wholesale markets 

 in times of glut. The right ojjening 

 l)rice woulil yield maxinuim retiuns to 

 the producers as a whole, so any price 

 above or below that right price lessens 

 the money received and injures the 

 grower, the legitimate dealer and the 

 consumer. The loss caused by a too 

 low or too high price is in wasted 

 elfort and by wasted or deteriorated 

 material. The government and pro- 

 ducers' and dealers' associations should 

 more and more foster such a control 

 as will restrain early shipments of fruit 

 until it is of sullicient maturity to be 

 good food and then render all aid pos- 

 sible in determining proper values 

 being established. It is safer and more 

 benericial to all, in the end, to start 

 the price too low, rather than to endan- 

 ger an ami)le demand by placing the 

 I)ricc too high at the start. 



The inllucnce of supply on prices is 

 dependent upon the natural and arti- 

 ficially-created demand upon the con- 

 trol, or lack of control, of the supply 

 and the facilities for and manner of 

 dislribulion. The natural demand is 

 mostly intlucnced by weather condi- 

 tions anil the cjuality and appearance 

 of the fiuit, and the artificial demand 

 is created mainly by the efforts, good 

 will and encrgv of the middlemen or 

 salesmen, by advertising, and by the 

 price. The facilities and equi])ment for 

 distribution should be such as will 

 deliver the fruit from the producer to 

 the consumer with the least delay and 

 least handling and rehandling that can 

 be made practical. The present aver- 

 age yearly production of fruits is so 

 near the present maximum consump- 

 tion under existing marketing methods 

 as to seriously endanger the jiossibility 

 of marketing the whole output at prices 

 profitable to the producers, and seri- 

 ous consideration should be given to 

 all possible improved and economical 

 methods of marketing. .lobbers having 

 a very large capital are needed to facili- 

 tate most economical distribution in 

 our large. cities. National standardiza- 

 tion of weights and containers shoultl 

 be established. Close co-operative con- 

 trol of sui)ply and regulation of dis- 

 tribution should be permitted and fos- 

 tered by the government to lessen the 

 risks of dealing in fresh fruits and 

 vegetables and to aid in establishing 

 stabilitv of values. 



Figure 49— A small limb from the top of an Italian prune tree, showing how- 

 spurs develop from the shoots of the preceding season. Irom a to is 

 three-vear-old wood. Two years ago three shoots, (> to c. and two fruit spurs 

 were formed. Last year three shoots, c to d. developed from the terminat 

 buds of the preceding season's growth and a number of Iruit spurs Irom ils 



lateral biiils. The lateral buds on these fruit spurs "- '" 



terminal buds are leaf buds. 



fruit buds; lli^ 



Pruning theBearingApple and 

 Pear Trees 



Continued from last issue 



The Application of Pruning Principles 



to Particular Problems 



The ai)i)lication of these principles 

 to the particular i)runing problems pre- 

 sented by individual trees is a matter 

 reciuiring good judgment. However, if 

 some of the principles underlying 

 pruning practices are understood seri- 

 ous mistakes are much less apt to be 

 made. From the discussion of these 



