No. 123.] DIVISION OF MARKETS. 55 



The quality of fruit was very variable. Sooty blotch was 

 much more prevalent than usual, particularly in the Colrain 

 section. Scab was bad in a few sections, but did less damage 

 generally than last year. On the whole, quality was below 

 normal. 



Prices Avere the highest ever reached in the county. Most 

 sales were made before picking was completed. Nearly all lots 

 were bought orchard run, prices ranging from $4 to $5.50 per 

 barrel. As usual, the grower furnished the barrel and did the 

 packing, in most cases having the assistance of one man fur- 

 nished by the buyer. Prices remained quite steady after a 

 figure had been established by the first few sales. 



Prices of cider apples reached the high mark of $1.25 per 

 one hundred weight. 



Owing to the fact that such a large quantity of the apples 

 was taken out by buyers who intended to sell at retail, a large 

 part of the crop was shipped out without grading, or in barrels 

 marked "Ungraded." The best lots, and that part of the crop 

 which was bought by the regular buyers, were graded A and B. 



Where grading was attempted, there were very few cases 

 where the law was not complied with. Some lots were found 

 below grade at the packing houses, and on these the marks 

 were changed before shipping. The inspection work has di- 

 rected a good deal of attention to the facing of the "ungraded" 

 pack. Very little criticism can be made of the packing in this 

 respect. 



Barrels were in good supply, but of rather inferior quality. 

 Most of the supply has come from local mills, with the excep- 

 tion of a few cars of New York barrels shipped in by one of 

 the buyers and sold to growers. Fewer wire hoops were used 

 than in the previous year. Prices of barrels ranged generally 

 from 65 to 75 cents. 



Much of that part of the crop which went out on trucks was 

 taken in open boxes. Other than these there were, to our 

 knowledge, no shipments made in boxes. 



In view of the unusual conditions which have prevailed in 

 regard to shipping, the tabulation of figures on carlot rail 

 shipments is not a very satisfactory way of showing the dis- 

 tribution of the crop. A study of these figures and a com- 



