I 



•4- 



3. The market reporter is not responsible for poor prices that he has to 

 quote. Neither can we argue with a price which correctly represents, in money, 

 the ratio between supply and consumer demand, which we will call the market price. 

 It is the sub-market prices which hurts every grower. These sub-market prices 

 exist because there is no commonly used base of quality or appearance on which to 

 quote a price and the associated poor selling practices. Packs containing a wide 

 range of quality and size and condition are lumped together under the heading of 

 "apples" or in a very rough use of the terms "Firsts" or Seconds". The result is 

 a wide range of price, heavy on the low side, which is used in competitive buying 

 and selling. Prices may be used between buyer and seller without either one know- 

 ing the quality that is being discussed. Low prices on some mixed-quality packs 

 are used to lower the price on better packs. The result is a downward spiral of 

 quality chasing price which results in a low price to the producer and a poor 

 quality pack being placed on display in retail stores with resulting lack of con- 

 sumer appeal, slow movement and a situation set up for lower price next week. 



An inadequate selling practice is one. which does not secure market price for 

 the product. Pressure on the seller due to insufficient number of outlets, and 

 misleading information as to price, can and does result in some selling practices 

 which add speed to the downward spiral of prices. Selling at a cut price on a 

 delivered basis to avoid the sales agents' fee is but one example. Cutting the 

 quality in order to under-bid on price or accept a lower price are others. The 

 use of an established standard in combination with a packer's name can do much to ■ 

 eliminate sub-marl;et prices and poor selling practices. ' 



A revised apple grading law cannot and will not make these changes by itself, 

 particularly if growers regard the provisions of the law as further legal inter- 

 ference to an independently managed business. The revised grading law is an im- 

 portant tool with which the apple growers of the state can improve their industry 

 and increase their returns. 



The apple industry of Massachusetts, now as a compact unit in the hands of 371 

 commercial growers, is in a position to take a grading law and make money with it. 



F. E. Cole 



Extension Marketing Specialist 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



FERTILIZER RECOMM END ATIONS SHOULD BE MADE IN TERMS OF ACTUAL NUTRIENTS 



When writing fertilizer recommendations based on leaf analysis it is very 

 apparent that they should be in terms of actual nitrogen, potash (K2O) and 

 phosphoric acid (P2O5) . For example, if this is done we can merely state in our 

 recommendations the suggested amount of actual nitrogen, potash and phosphoric 

 acid needed per tree. Then the grower can purchase and apply an amount of any fer- 

 tilizer which gives the equivalent of the recommended nitrogen, potash, and phospho- 

 ric acid. It has been noted, however, that this has been confusing to some growers 

 when they try to figure how much of a nitrogenous fertilizer or a "complete" fertilize 



