410 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Ofl. Doc. 



BUSINESS METHODS IN MAKKETING APPLES 



By W. J. LEWIS, Pittston, Commercial Orchardist, and President of the 

 Fruit Growers' Association of Luzerne County, Pa. 



We, up in Luzerne, have for sometime recognized the fact that in 

 the Adams county association you had one of the strongest societies 

 in the East. One that was doing more for itself and its members, 

 and one that had been and still is, an important factor in the de- 

 velopment of the fruit industry in this section. For that reason 

 1 have looked forward with pleasure to the time when 1 could meet 

 with you. That anticipation of pleasure is now^ more than fulfilled. 

 I have assurance also that my being here at this time will be a pleas- 

 ure to you. Lest you might take that feeling for one of conceit I 

 will explain why I have it. 



A few weeks ago at our Luzerne county meeting your Mr. C. J. 

 Tys(m was with us and gave us two very interesting and instruc- 

 tive addresses. AVhile there he asked me to come to this meeting 

 and address you on the subject which has been assigned to me. 1 

 tried to be excused with the plea that I had been so busy the last 

 15 years trying to learn how to grow and market fruit that I hadn't 

 had time to learn how to tell about it in public, but he said "Oh, they 

 are a good natured bunch down in Adams county and will put ufj 

 with most anything." So I have risked your everlasting displeasure 

 and will do the best I can. 



When I get uj) to talk in public I am reminded of a story I read 

 a few weeks ago. A young man was to address his lirst audi- 

 ence. After he had been duly introduced he forgot everything he 

 had intended to say. His mind was entirely a blank. The only 

 thing he could think of at all was a little story he had read in a paper 

 a few days before, so he had to give them that. He said, "Friends 

 great oratory is almost a thing of the past. The kind of oratory 

 that sways men's minds and influences their whole life is almost 

 gone. Caesar is dead, Abraham Lincoln is dead and I am not feel- 

 ing very well myself." 



I am*^ just a little reluctant to bring up this subject in the pies- 

 ence of you peojjle who have had considerable experience in .the 

 growing and marketing of fruit, many of you being much older and 

 having had more experience than I have had, but we have all had 

 different experiences and these things appeal to us in different ways. 

 For this reason I shall hope to call your attention to a few things 

 in marketing as I have seen them, with the hope that it may be of 

 some little value to you. While ray subject is the marketing of 

 fruit, what I shall say along this line will apply equally as well to 

 any or all other farm crops. 



The advances that have been made along horticultural lines the 

 past few years are simply wonderful. Wo naturally expect any 

 new industry just starting up to make marked progress, but in 



