92 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



MAINE APl'LES IX THE ENGLISH MAIMvET. 



By EuAVAKD Peakk. Portland, 



Sliippiiig Agont of J. C. Houghton & Co., Liverpool and London. 



Your secretan', Mr. Knowlion, has kindh' suggested that I should 

 make a few remaiks upon '"Maine Apples in the English Market," 

 and ii will attord me much pleasure to answer to the best of my 

 ability any questions that the meeting may choose to put to me. 



Tiie dtmand in England for fruit of every description is an increas- 

 ing one every year ; the people of England getting more and more 

 into the way of eating fruit regularl}', and looking upon it as a 

 necessary part of their diet. 



Nv^ doubt growers think the prices that have ruled this season 

 have been low but if it is taken into consideration that from the 

 beginning of the season until the end of last week over one and one- 

 fourth million barrels were shipped from United States and Canada 

 to the United Kingdom it must, I think, be admitted that the prices 

 paid by the English consumers have been very fair not to say good ; 

 and quite as high as could reasonably' be expected under the circum- 

 stances. When it is remembered that to the price obtained by the 

 grower here must be added the freight, and all charges and shipping 

 expenses it can hardly be said that the prices paid in P^ngland have 

 been extremely low. 



The present season has proved the capabilities of the English 

 market for the disposing of ver}' large weekly shipments, and all 

 present appearances seem to indicate that growers need have little 

 fear, taking one season with another, of their crops not realizing 

 remunerative prices. The very low prices of some of the fruit this 

 season is accounted for by the fact that such fruit was of such 

 quality that no one could reasonably expect it to return good results 

 either in the English or any other market. The fruit of lirst quality 

 has all along brought fair prices considering the excessively large 

 shipments. 



Usually the English market is well supplied with common fruit 

 grown in England and on the continent of Europe. Had it not been 

 that Ibis season the supply of this fruit was smaller than usual 

 the inferior Maine apples would have done much worse than has beea 

 the case. 



