58 STATE POMOI.OGICAL SOCIETY. 



Mr, R. E. McLatchy : I have never said anything before an 

 audience before, but I have had considerable experience in send- 

 ing apples to the European markets. When I first came into 

 the State five years ago, I found the business very satisfactory. 

 The apples seemed to be of fair quality and they seem to have 

 been packed in a better manner. Three and four years ago a 

 lot of money was made by the buyers and dealers in shipping 

 apples to the foreign markets. From that started the great 

 competition in buying. The buyers went out over the country 

 and they were very anxious to get the fruit. In order to be 

 favored by the farmers in securing their apples why they would 

 make concessions in the way of taking their poor stufif, taking 

 the apples that in former years they had thrown out entirely. 

 And since they commenced doing this I have noticed that the 

 prices have dropped ofif as compared with what Canadian and 

 Nova Scotia apples bring. Since the Fruit Marks law went 

 into force in Canada the Canadian apples have been having a 

 prestige over Maine apples with the exception of some western 

 New York or Vermont. I don't know hardly what to suggest 

 in regard to a remedy other than this, that the Maine fruit 

 growers should have a regulation in regard to grading the 

 same as they have in Canada. I think if that should go into 

 effect that the Maine apples would again take prestige above the 

 Canadian apples. I feel quite sure of it. The Maine Baldwins 

 in 1900 and 1901 were invariably better than the Canadian. 

 This year they are from two shillings to four shillings below the 

 Canadian. That is as far as I know. 



Prof. MuNSON : In your judgment the practice of selling 

 number ones and twos together is detrimental to the trade ? 



Mr. McLatchy : I think it is, yes, — unless they have a mark 

 and only put good apples in the barrel. They can grade their 

 apples down to two and one-fourth inches, — face them up well 

 and run two and one-fourth inches through the barrel. That 

 class sells well. But when they go to putting in green apples 

 and wormy apples, it make a great difference. I think it is the 

 wormy apples and imperfect fruit that has hurt the market more 

 than anything else. 



Prof. MuNSON : We hear a great deal about farmer-packed 

 fruits in a kind of a sneering way. Is it your experience that 

 the farmer-packed is worse than the professional ? 



