38 state: roMoi^oGicAi, socie:ty. 



QUALITY AS A FACTOR IN COMMERCIAL FRUIT 



GROWING. 



By Z. A. Gilbert, Agricultural Editor of the Maine Farmer. 



The people like fruit. This desire of the appetite is universal. 

 There has been a great increase in the consumption of fruit of 

 the different varieties in the last few years. Take the strawberry 

 as an illustration. Where but a few years ago this delicious 

 fruit was available for only a few days in early midsummer, now 

 from May to the close of its season in July the demand is only 

 limited by the supply and the facilities for distributing the fruit 

 among the people who desire it. The banana trade is further 

 illustration in this same direction. Steamers are now engaged 

 in the exclusive employment of the transportation of this tropical 

 iruit from Central American ports to New York and Boston, and 

 car loads are now called for in our nearby cities, where but a few 

 years ago a few crates by express filled the full demands of the 

 trade. 



This great increase in the fruit demand among the people is 

 due to the fact that people love fruit. It only has to be placed 

 within their reach in order to be taken and consumed in these 

 rapidly increasing quantities. And the end is not yet. No one 

 is so short-sighted as to suppose that the limit of demand for 

 fruit has yet been reached. As the taste for fruit is gratified the 

 desire is intensified and gradually reaches a point where it 

 becomes constant. Hence, when one kind of fruit no longer 

 appears another is called for, and the round of the year is 

 covered. 



quality. 



The desire with every one is for good fruit. The better, of 

 its kind, it is, the more it is desired and the greater the quantitv 

 called for. This takes me directly to the subject assigned me at 

 this time. 



Quality in its application to fruit is a sort of compound term. 

 That is, there are several different properties characterizing fruit 

 that in common parlance are combined in its quality. Even the 

 Ben Davis apple has one desirable property that is included in 

 the characteristic quality of the fruit— it is a good keeper. So, 



