154 ^^^ CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



lower this year than they ever have sold before, and that the 

 eastern apples are selling much higher, higher than in a 

 number of years. The enormous growth of apples in the 

 Northwest this year and the rather swell-headedness on the 

 part of the growers that they had the best of everything, and 

 they could take the highest prices, caused more or less trouble, 

 and then the trees are already at their best, and the apples are 

 beginning to drop off in quality. They dropped off last year, 

 they dropped off considerably more this year, and some of 

 their fruit must be handled over-ripe, and the handling of 

 their fruit is exceedingly rapid, so the w'holesale prices have 

 been very much lower than in former years. Then, as Mr. 

 Drew said, I think the people are getting on to the fact that 

 the quality of the eastern apple is better and as a result of 

 the work of this society, and the work of all the eastern hor- 

 ticultural societies, and the aid that the government and the 

 experiment stations have given us in knowing how to better 

 beautify and color up the fruit, has given us fruit of better 

 appearance. 



Then we have felt that sharp competition of that better 

 packing and grading in the west in former years, until we 

 have learned to pack and grade better. All those things have 

 combined, and resulted in giving lower prices to western box 

 apples and a higher price to the eastern barrel apple, and I 

 believe, as we stand to-day, we shall maintain that lead in the 

 future, because I believe we are going to improve the quality 

 and appearance of our fruit very much. I think that answers 

 the question, at least answers it to my satisfaction. 



May I say a word about that address of ^Ir. Drew? It 

 seems to me that is one of the most important business talks 

 we have had before this society in a long time. Those who 

 are interested in the production of apples have seen those 

 wonderful productions from the Northwest, and we have 

 been scared just a little bit. I think we all appreciate the 

 work of those people in the West in their fine grading and the 

 beautiful fruit that they put on the markets to tempt people 

 to use apples as they have never used them before. The 



