No. 4.] APPLES. 395 



The Current Crop. 

 It may be proper to remark that, though 1904 is scheduled 

 as "the apple year" with us, the crop now promises to be 

 moderate. The most reliable reports that we have seen say 

 that it will be less than last year. This is rather a safe way 

 of estimating, for the markets handled more apples from the 

 crop of 1903 than ever before in the history of American 

 apple-growing. Prices offered by buyers this fall Avill prob- 

 ably be about the same as in the fall of 1903. Though 

 growers cannot generally expect to get better prices than a 

 year ago, they should not be frightened into selling for less 

 merely because this is called ' ' the apple year " in Massa- 

 chusetts. 



