INDIANA HOETICULTUEAL SOCIETY. 26Y 



the skin acting as an overcoat and, of course, the closer fruit is liept 

 to freezing and yet not frozen, tlie better you retain the flavor and retard 

 decay. This industry to-day. although but a few years in existence, 

 malies it possible to transport the apples from the western coast of Cali- 

 fornia across the continent, thence in turn across the ocean and deliver 

 in London or Liverpool in perfect condition, thereby opening the marliets 

 of Europe, to which points, in our heaviest export years, we have sent 

 over a million barrels in one season. Railroad companies have in use 

 today over G0,000 refrigerator cars and all modern constructed sea-going 

 vessels are being equipped with cold storage apai'tments and refrigerating 

 machinery. You will thus see that former rislis have been removed. So 

 complete is this worlv that strawberries are shipped from Florida to New 

 York and arrive in good condition. The principle of the refrigerator 

 car is on the same line as the cold storage, and when goods as delicate 

 as strawberries stand these long journeys, you can readily see what can 

 be done with apples. Cold storage is iitilized for the surplus crop, or 

 what formerly went to waste. The more southern the crop, the gi-eater 

 per cent, there is for storage, as in the Northern climate the apples hold 

 until March in common storage, while in cold storage Indiana apples keep 

 until the middle of May. The consumption of the apple increases yearly. 



There remains but little to be said with reference to the marketing of 

 the crop, and you can perhaps draw some idea of the magnitude of the 

 trade when I say to you that at the convention of apple shippers, held 

 at Rochester, N. Y., on the Tth, 8th and 9th of August, there was an at- 

 tendance of fully 200 heavy operators that represent an unlimited capital. 

 And of such commercial value is the American crop that this meeting 

 attracted a number of foreign representatives, two firms from London 

 and Liverpool being represented in person at the meeting. 



You will excuse my presumption, I am sure, when I depart from my 

 subject to say to you that a lifetime's experience leads me to say I am 

 positive that Indiana is geographically located to market a crop of apples 

 to a better advantage than any other State in the Union, except direct 

 seaboard points on the east coast, and she has a climate superior for 

 the culture, and a soil as well (for native varieties), than most States 

 that now produce commercial apples. I am, furthermore, positive that 

 notwithstanding the fact that Missouri stands at the head of the list 

 in the number of bearing apple trees, a properly cared for orchard in 

 Indiana can take from her the boast that she is the home of the big, 

 red apple. It remains for your association to consider and it is for you 

 to say as to whether we are to become a factor in the market and also, 

 build up a paying mdustry for posterity, or not. If Indiana is going to 

 become a factor in the storing and marketing of fruit, you must take 

 up the work through your colleges and through your Farmer's Institute 

 meetings. The State should be interested in this work, as it will increase 

 the wealth of the State, and many acres of what is now looked upon as 



