46 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



this. Therefore, the recent dullness and 

 depression in prices should cause no surprise. 

 On the whole shippers have done fairly well 

 this season and are looking for better times 

 about the first of the year. The cause of the 

 recent low prices on the other side was said 

 to be due to the poor quality of fruit arriv- 

 ing at the different ports. Last week's ship- 

 ments from all Atlantic ports showed a big 

 decrease amounting to only about 60,000 

 barrels, which should afford a good chance 

 for the clearance of held over stocks in the 

 English markets. The market here keeps 

 very dull and depressed owing to the large 

 quantity of frozen apples selling to pedlars ; 

 about 1,200 barrels were sold at auction 

 which realized from 80c. to $1.60 per barrel, 

 the average being about $1.25. Until this 

 class of goods is worked off there will not 

 be much doing in the better qualities, as the 

 cheap stock will fill a considerable portion of 

 the demand in the meantime. No. i fruit 

 has sold at $2.50 to $2.75 in good sized lots, 

 and No. 2 at $1.75 to $2.25. 



SALE OF CANADIAN FKUIT IN IKELANU 



TO the Secretary Ontario Fruit Grow- 

 ers' Association: 

 I have recently been in communication 

 with the Canadian Department of Agricul- 

 ture relative to the advisability of Canadian 

 fruit frowers having a representative here 

 and have consignments sent direct to the 

 Irish market, instead of by way of Liverpool 

 or Glasgow. The department approved of 

 my suggestion, and proposed I should com- 

 municate with the Fruit Growers' Associa- 

 tion to ascertain if they would fall in with 

 my scheme, and thereby bring them in closer 

 touch with these markets. 



As you are no doubt aware, American and 

 Canadian fruit exporters supply the English 

 markets (whence we get our supplies) 

 through brokers in London and Liverpool. 

 Bery little fruit is grown in Ireland, with 



the result that American fruit exporters 

 have always found a good market here, but 

 nevertheless Canadian growers would have 

 a good field to work in if they so desire. 



My suggestion is that one or more Cana- 

 dian Fruit Growers' Associations establish 

 a central agency in Dublin for the supply of 

 the Irish market, the fruit to be sent here 

 direct by say, the Head or Lord Line boats, 

 the agent not to handle any but Canadian 

 fruits, and this agency I am prepared to take 

 up and can undertake to work it successful- 

 ly. Amongst the advantages of such an 

 agency with direct representation are : 



The growers would have an agent on the 

 spot to look after their interests. 



Direct consignments to Dublin would save 

 to the growers and consumers the heavy 

 cross channel rates incurred by the present 

 system. These rates are nearly as heavy 

 as the rates from Canada. 



A saving to growers and consumers of 

 the profits now paid to brokers and whole- 

 sale fruit dealers in Liverpool, London and 

 Glasgow. 



The tendency nowadays is to buy direct 

 from the producer wherever possible. The 

 public realize that they have to pay dearly 

 for an article which, before reaching them, 

 passes through three or four sets of dealers, 

 all requiring a c&rtain profit. At present, 

 after providing for (a) middleman's profits 

 in England, (&) heavy freights from Canada 

 to England and thence to Ireland, and (c) 

 Irish retailer's profits, Canadian and Ameri- 

 can apples retail here at a penny to twopence 

 apiece. 



I would impress on both Canadian fruit 

 growers and shippers that an agent here en- 

 gaged solely in their interests is absolutely 

 necessary if they wish to successfully com- 

 pete with Americans, Australians and other 

 competitors. 



The Americans find a good market here ; 

 Australian apples are now prominent here, 



