131 



barrel up everything and label them "Extra Fancy." 

 (Applause). 



The "Western box fruit I opened were selling from $3.23 

 to $4.50 per box according to variety while the barrel ap- 

 ples were selling from $1.75 to $2.00 per barrel. The Man- 

 ager of this firm told me that last year he handled thirty-five 

 ears of Hood Kiver Apples and did not have a complaint 

 from a single box. If that is not proof enough that it pays 

 to put up an honest pack I do not. know Avhat is. 



I Avill not say that all growers here are affected with the 

 same trouble, there are some exceptions, but very few, but if 

 you will only take the trouble to inquire you will find they 

 are making some money in the apple industry. 



On my arrival here last fall I was directed by Secretary 

 Ellsworth of the State Board of Agriculture to Mr. A. A. 

 Marshall of Fitchburg. I am not quoting Mr. Marshall to 

 advertise him or his orchard, but I do so for the reason that 

 it was so much different from anything I expected to find. 

 Mr. Marshall was one of the progressive growers who had 

 made up his mind to get out of the rut and try the up-to-(lale 

 methods of apple growing, and put up his fruit in a pack- 

 age he could guarantee. It was an experiment with Mr. 

 Marshall, but one well worth trying, for of the fifteen hur.- 

 dred boxes of Mcintosh and Baldwins we packed, the lowest 

 price he received was $2.50 per box and the highest $5.00. 

 A good many growers have the "I can't fever and can't 

 do as Mr. Marshall has done, but the trouble is they won't 

 or have never tried. One big advantage you have over the 

 west is nearness to market. Here you are right at your own 

 market, we are thirty-five hundred miles aAvay with a freight 

 rate of sixty cents a box. that is the freight is fifty cents 

 and refrigeration, ten cents. So with the sixty cents per 

 box which it cost to grow and pack each box makes one dol- 

 lar and twenty cents invested in each box of apples we ship 

 into this market. Here you can make money by selling ap- 

 ples for a dollar a box, we cannot. AYe have to get the high 

 price in order to make any money as Avell as interest on our 

 investments, so in order to do so we have to raise as large a 

 per cent of high grade fruit as possible. 



Another secret of our success is co-operation of the 

 growers. It seems to be the opinion of some growers here 

 that this can never be accomplished in this section, but you 

 can never tell until it has been tried. 



