CONSUMER DEMAND FOR APPLES 61 



• Table 5.— Average Prices by Grades, 1924-1927. 



Variety 



Baldwin 

 Gravenstein 

 Mcintosh 

 Wagener 

 Wealthy 

 Average 



The preference for A grade fruit varies in degree from season to sea- 

 son. The Mcintosh shows a higher and more regularly increasing pre- 

 mium than any other variety, as exhibited in Table 6. The increasing 

 spread between A and B grade of this variety has been due not only to 

 the increase in the price of A grade, but to a decrease in the price of 

 B grade fruit as well. 



In the case of the Baldwin, the premium for A grade fruit varies greatly 

 from year to year. In the two seasons 1924-25 and 1925-26 this premium 

 averaged about 6 cents a box, while in the season of 1927-28, the average 

 A grade brought 94 cents a box more than B grade. 



Table 6.— Premium for A Grade Mcintosh, 1924-1927. 



Season 



1924-25 

 1925-26 

 1926-27 

 1927-28 

 Average 



Preferences os to Size 



An examination of the prices received by the Nashoba Association 

 shows that the demand as to size varies with the variety. Only the 

 Baldwin, Gravenstein, Mcintosh, Wagener and W^ealthy were handled in 

 sufficient quantities to warrant conclusions as to sizes preferred. How- 

 ever, in Table 7 are included all varieties packed during two or more 

 of the four seasons. 



It is evident that Baldwins and Greenings, insofar as these statistics 

 indicate, are preferred in the large sizes, the price increasing with the 

 increase in size. While the Wealthy shows the same trend, the difference 

 between prices for the various sizes is comparatively small, and apparently 

 indicates that consumers care little about the size of this variety. 



The Mcintosh, Northern Spy and W^agener returned the highest prices 

 for size 2% inches, the larger sizes bringing a lower price in each variety." 



'^ Kroeck, .T., Factors Affecting the Price of Mcintosh. (Massachusetts Department 

 of Agriculture) found that the prices received for the 190 boxes examined in the 

 study showed a preference for 3 inch apples. However, the period covered was short 

 and the volume comparatively small, but there may be a growing preference for larger 

 sizes of this variety. 



