STATE POMOLOGICAI^ SOCIETY. 6/ 



will see by the communications which I am going to read to you. 

 Mr. A. W. Otis, in a recent interview, said he had been adverse to 

 the use of boxes because of the cost of handling the box, costing 

 more to truck, etc., but if the box is to be used — you see he gives 

 in a little — if the box is to be used he favored a half barrel box. 

 And that gives me an opportunity of referring to the box of 

 fruit exhibited by Mr. Phinney, which contains just a half barrel 

 of apples. It also contains, this particular box, wrapped apples, 

 which shows the style in which he is marketing his fruit, and I 

 have no doubt he will realize a good price for it. 



A. & O. W. Mead & Company, who have handled this year 

 quite a large quantity of Maine apples, write me as follows : 



"In regard to packing apples in boxes, would say that it has 

 been our experience that the fruit does not bring as much when 

 packed in boxes as it does in barrels. The trade is not accus- 

 tomed to buying in boxes, and will not buy them unless at a 

 reduced figure. 



"We know that for the last few years barrels have been pretty 

 scarce and consequently very high, and the question of package 

 is very important to the farmer. It seems to us that in sections 

 where there are a good many apples farmers could easily supply 

 themselves with barrels at a co-operative factory in their sec- 

 tion. Each farmer would know how many barrels he would 

 need, and they could be made up ahead so that no one would be 

 without barrels in the packing season. It seems to us that this 

 is the most practical way out of the difficulty." 



One embarrassment which is existing the present season in 

 regard to barrels is that somehow or other, I don't know why, 

 the buyers seem to have all the barrels. 



York & Whitney, another firm who have sold a good many 

 Maine apples, writes me as follows — this particular letter was 

 written by Mr. York : 



'■T realize that your association is of great importance to the 

 public in general. The product that interests me the most at the 

 present time is the apple, w'hich I consider the most important 

 of all fruits, as demand is increasing each year, not only in our 

 own country but for exporting, and every year the package^ 

 seem to be a more and more difficult problem. Many of the 

 growers of fruit at this season of the year, find themselves with- 



