258 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



form vigor is so kept up that off years are not so prevalent as they 

 are in America. 



The German takes great pains to put his fruit on the market in 

 small attractive packages, just ^vhen it is ready to be eaten, and he 

 secures prices for the best grades such as we have never dreamed 

 of getting in America. Even the apples are not all picked from the 

 tree at the same time. The early ripening specimens are taken from 

 the tree first and several subsequent pickings are made, so that each 

 specimen is gathered when it is in just the right stage of develop- 

 ment. The fruit is stored in cool cellars and as soon as a few speci- 

 mens are ripe, they are attactively packed, two to half a dozen in a 

 basket, and put on the market so that they reach the consumer on 

 the day when they are at their best. They say that perishable fruits, 

 like the pear and peach, are at their best stage for eating only for a 

 period of about twenty-four hours and that the most delicious stage 

 of the apple does not last for a much longer period. If fruit is put on 

 the market a day or two too early or too late, it does not please the 

 customer who eats it, and consequently the price must be low, while 

 if marketed at just the right time, choice specimens will bring the 

 highest prices. The difference between a first class specimen of 

 fruit and an ordinary one is greater in Europe than it is in America. 



They claim that different varieties of the same kind of fruit 

 ripen best at different temperatures ; some sorts need a temperature 

 of 38 to 40 degrees, while others are improved by being subjected to 

 a temperature slightly below freezing. In a general way, early 

 ripening sorts are best if subjected to the higher temperature, and 

 the long-keeping, firm sorts need the lower temperature to bring 

 out their best flavor. 



The poorest specimens of fruit are usually canned or preserved 

 at home. Everywhere one sees apparatus for preserving surplus 

 fruit on a small scale. Germans are much better supplied with 

 jellies, marmalade, preserves, wine, etc., than are Americans. On 

 account of using low grade fruit in this way, a part of the product 

 is carried over to those seasons when green fruit is not plentiful and 

 better prices are secured for the green fruit in its season. 



While the intensive methods of the German gardeners might 

 not be directly adapted to our American conditions, the principles 

 involved in placing only the best upon the market so as to create a 

 demand for high priced fruit, are worthy of our consideration. 



