Il6 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY, 



Taking all things into consideration, I would advise orchard- 

 ists, unless they have large lots whereby they can cover several 

 months in shipping, to sell to good parties on this side rather 

 than to assume all the risks themselves. Ordinarily there is too 

 much risk for a small shipper on an uncertain market. One 

 may strike a prize and one may draw a blank. It is too much 

 like a lottery. From my ow-n experience and that of many 

 others I cannot but draw the conclusion that it is better to sell 

 to a good commission house or to reliable parties constantly 

 shipping. 



DISCUSSION. 



O. Do you ship apples in barrels or cases? 



A. I wrote to a gentleman across the water who wanted me 

 to ship direct to him, a broker and commission merchant on the 

 other side, and he wrote me not to ship them in cases. 



Q. I would like to inquire what the condition of apples is 

 when they are wet? 



A. Well they may have acquired that by being on board the 

 steamer where they absorb moisture and may have been wTink- 

 led up a little. They may have acquired that by pressing in too 

 many. 



Q. How do you understand apples are sold in the foreign 

 market? 



Merrill — I understand the apples are poured out there for 

 the benefit of the dealers as well as the auctioneers; there are 

 long tables running along and the dealers come up and buy 

 them for themselves or for others doing a retail trade. When 

 they buy those apples they open them up and they want them to 

 look nice, and when people come along and see a barrel with 

 nice large apples they want to see if they are good down in the 

 barrel and they poke down into them ; and if they are good they 

 like to get that same brand the next time they come. 



I noticed a report of the meeting of the New York Horticul- 

 tural Society in which some of them found fault with the grow- 

 ers of fruit and said the trouble was there were too many varie- 

 ties sent across the water and they did not pack them solid 

 enough. That is true. There are too many apples loosely 

 packed and it hurts the market as much as over-production. 



O. What are apples worth for fattening purposes? 



