

Commissioner of Agriculture 227 



Department was not being fooled, and therefore I put additional agents and 

 detectives in the field to determine the facts. A thorough examination of 

 the situation in the markets, both within and without the state, indicated 

 that about 85 per cent, of all apples marketed are packed in conformity with 

 the law. Here are some of the facts of this investigation: 



Seven additional agents of the Department spent three days in New York 

 City, and during that time inspected 220 different lots of apples. Of these 

 220* lots, 181, or over 80 per cent., were packed and branded in accordance 

 with the requirements of the law. Eighteen were properly branded but the 

 contents were found to be below the grade marked upon the package. In 

 twenty-one lots the branding was incomplete. 



The following statements are typical of those made by the commission men, 

 the wholesale men and the retail men in the markets of New York: 



"We estimate that about 80 per cent, of the apples packed in New 

 York State are packed according to the present law. We believe that 

 growers who really understand the law are glad to comply with its terms, 

 but many of them who are packing their apples correctly do not brand 

 them in accordance with the law." 



"About 80 per cent, of New York apples are marked and packed in 

 accordance with the law. Some of the Hudson valley apples were not 

 quite up to the standard at the beginning. Apples from the western part 

 of the state are right up to the standard, and at least 96 per cent, are 

 packed and marked in accordance with the law. The firm handles about 

 75,000 barrels of New York apples a year. He says that about 90 per 

 cent, are packed in accordance with the law. He adds that two-thirds 

 of the apple dealers in New York City will agree to this statement." 



Another concern stated that they believed 80 per cent, of New York apples 

 are packed and marked in accordance with the law; that some shippers of 

 apples do not quite understand the law, and their failure to comply with it 

 is not intentional. This firm handles 30,000 barrels of apples a year, and 

 85 per cent, are packed and marked properly. He approves of the law. 



Mr. Koy Freman, in charge of the salesrooms of the Fruit Auction Com- 

 pany, when asked about the law, replied that he found the Apple Grading law 

 observed, and stated that about 75 to 80 per cent, of New York apples are 

 marked and graded in accordance with the law. 



A resume of the detective work on this question is as follows: 



Twenty-one visits were made to extensive commission houses in New York 

 City, and not one estimated the apples that were packed in accordance with 

 the law less than 70 per cent. Most of them stated that the law was observed 

 to the extent of 85 or 90 per cent, of the apples sent to the New York market. 



As investigation in the markets of Baltimore and Philadelphia shows that 

 conditions are similar to those in New York. 



It would be interesting to know what influence the law has had upon the 

 apple industry of New York State. Opinions, of course, are valuable insofar 

 as they are based upon facts, and while it is difficult to arrive at any definite 

 conclusion, it is of interest to the fruit growers to know how men who handle 

 thousands of barrels of apples feel towards the law. Such statements are: 



One large commission merchant in New York City states that there has 



