54 



must be put on each crate. The law provides that all fruit 

 cases must bear the full name of the packer and a label in 

 the case of a closed package which does not allow the fruit 

 to be seen, which correctly represents the quality of the 

 fruit contained. The Canadian act allows four grades, 

 known as fancy, No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3. Penalties are im- 

 posed of from 25 cents to $1 for each case wrongly marked, 

 and provisions are made for inspectors to watch the fruit 

 packages and brand any which are not packed according to 

 law. 



The packer who labels a crate of fruit with a stamp 

 which in any way overrates the quality of the fruit is liable, 

 and the packer in an open case where the fruit is seen is 

 equally liable if the top layer is of better quality, size, color 

 and general condition than 85 per cent, of the fruit under- 

 neath. 



Prof. Craig read a number of letters from leading English 

 market houses, all of which asserted that the Canadian fruit 

 packed in accord with the strict legislation was far more de- 

 sirable and brought a higher price- than Ame"rican product 

 in the British markets. The American crop was considered 

 uncertain and cases from this country were looked upon as 

 somewhat suspicious, while the quality of the Canadian fruit 

 was guaranteed. Prof. Craig argued that while all farmers 

 are not dishonest, the temptations under present conditions 

 are strong and offer ample opportunity to cheat the pur- 

 chaser. Unless this is prevented by legislation which makes 

 false packers and markers liable, the honest fruit growers 

 must suffer for the misdeeds of the few. 



Discussion opened by Dr. George M. Twitchell, Auburn, 

 Me. 



"I want to say that I am deeply interested in this sub- 

 ject and the one thing I fear most is legislation. I mean 

 legislation before we are ready for it. The first thing we 

 want is education. We want to feel that there is a better 

 way for us to handle our fruit products than singly and 

 alone. We want to feel that we must co-operate : that there 

 is a way for us to handle our fruit products so that we may 

 secure more than we have in the past and that way is 

 through education and a knowledge of what good fruit is, 

 what the demands of the market are and how we can best 

 meet those demands. 



