WHATS HAPPEIvfED IN THE PAST THIRTY YEARS IN THE APPLE INDUSTRY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 



(Editor's Note - This is the first of a series of articles in which 

 Professor E. J. Rasmussen discusses "Whats happened in The Past Thirty Years 

 in the Apple Industry in New Hampshire 1") 



I came to New Hampshire thirty years ago as a part time Graduate Student 

 and as a pest control specialist on tree fruits, I well remember the first 

 New Hampshire Horticultural Society Meeting I attended. It was in 1927 at 

 the Armory in Manchester. Mr, James Tufts of Exeter was President of the 

 Society and A, J, Farley, Extension Horticulturist of New Jersey was one of 

 the guest speakers. There was a fine apple show in connection with the 

 meetings. W. B. Farmer of Hampton Falls and E. N. Sawyer of Salisbury were 

 competing for the sweepstakes prize. Both exhibitors showed a barrel of 

 Baldwin apples. The apples were so near alike in both barrels that the judge. 

 Dr. R. H. Roberts of Wisconsin, had to remove nearly every apple from both 

 barrels before he could decide the winner. The sweepstakes went to W. B. 

 Farmer. 



There was a good deal more interest in fruit shows at that time. Folks 

 took a real pride in exhibiting their fruit and naturally with seventy varieties 

 being grown there was plenty of material from which to choose. As much as 

 eight hundred to one thousand dollars was spent on premiums and expenses for 

 running these shows , 



Those first years as Extension Specialist in Pest Control were interesting 

 ones. At that time fruit growers were numerous enough so that Town Fruit 

 Meetings were common. Me would have 15 to 20 growers at a meeting in Hancock 

 and 30 to 40 in Wilton, Hollis and Derry. Usually there were four of us, 

 Prof, G. F. Potter, Dr. L. P. Latimer, Mr. H. A. Rollins and myself, on the 

 program. Fred Beane nicknamed us the "four horsemen" and we often rode forth at 

 night. 



VARIETIES 



The reduction in the number of varieties of apples grown is no doubt 

 the most significant change and had the greatest influence on the industry 

 of any of the changes that occurred in the past thirty years. The 1927 

 Annual Report of this Society lists grading regulations for 43 striped and 

 red varieties. This does not include the green and yellow and a number of 

 odd varieties. 



The following is an excerpt from a letter to H. A. Rollins from 

 William Thies, Extension Horticulturist at Massachusetts dated January 17, 1928, 

 "Believing that seven apple varieties will serve our needs better than seventy 

 the Agricultural Colleges of New England through the Extension Service are 

 cooperating on a better variety campaign program. Seven apple varieties 

 have been selected as especially adapted to New England conditions. These 

 are to be called the New England Seven and are as follows: Baldwin, Delicious, 

 Gravenstein, Mcintosh, Northern Spy, Rhode Island Greening and Wealthy. 

 These varieties are the leaders in the New England States. Upon them our 

 reputation as a fruit section depends." Further comments in this letter 

 indicate that the apple industry in New England was on the decline and the 

 better variety campaign was a move to revive the industry. From seventy to 

 seven, that could have been the slogan for the better variety campaign in 

 1927, 



