122 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



LOSSES IN THE EXPORT APPLE TRADE. 



j^^^^^^^HE cost of production of any article of commerce generally governs 

 the price which the consumer pays for that article. There is 

 one notable exception to this rule. The price paid for the pro- 

 duction of the finest winter apples in this country, has no apparent 

 relation to the price paid by the consumers of the fruit in Great 

 Britain. 



Canada is noted for producing the best winter apples placed on the British 

 market. The prices obtained for such fruit on the wharves or docks in Great 

 Britain has varied but little for several years past from an average of $5 per bbl., 

 and there is good cause for believing that the demand, even at this price, will 

 continue for a long time to come, and for an unlimited quantity. Now, if we 

 allow $1.50 per bbl. for freight and incidental expenses, we have $3.50 left as 

 the amount received by the middleman for his apples. From this we should 

 deduct about $1.25 per barrel as the first cost of the apples; the remainder, 

 about $2.25 is the net profit on each $1.25 paid the apple grower. 



It will be observed that I have mentioned three parties to this transaction ; 

 the producer, the middleman, and the consumer. (The word " consumer " in 

 this case applies only to the purchaser of the apples on the English docks.) And 

 it will also be observed that the profit made by the middleman is (apparently) 

 about $225 per barrel. Now, if this profit was really assured, there would very 

 soon be such competition in the business that apple growers would receive 

 double the amount per barrel now paid for them. But these middlemen assure 

 us that the business is of such an uncertain character that but little profit is 

 made, taking one year with another. Yet the fact remains that the margin 

 between the price paid to the grower and the price at which the fruit is sold after 

 deducting all necessary expenses, is too wide for a reasonable profit, but, as we 

 are assured, by independent and undoubted evidence, that the business, as now 

 conducted, is one of unusual risk, and that not more than a fair profit is made 

 by apple exporters, it becomes evident that a serious leak must somewhere occur. 

 This leakage should be a subject for careful enquiry by experts or those having 

 practical experience in the export business. 



Many causes may contribute to this great loss of more than the present 

 value to the producer of the crop every year, such as, improper handling of the 

 fruit in the orchard while being gathered, barreling too soon or too late, packing 

 too tightly or not sufficiently tight ; not kept sufficiently cool after being gathered 

 or in transit ; rough handling during transhipment en route ; being frozen or 

 subjected to great changes in temperature ; rough or improper handling when 

 being re-packed before shipping, and many other preventable causes of which 

 I may have no knowledge. 



A short time ago, when looking over a sale sheet issued by Woodall & Co., 



