The Fruit MarKs Acf 



FROM time to time charges are 

 heard of dishonesty in packing 

 apples. In the past it has been 

 a favorite pastime with the newspaper 



Packing that Pays 



This box ol apples was shown at the Niagara District 

 Kxhibition. It is a model. The pack is uuiform and 

 correct. The lace paper adds to the appearance. 



men to picture the old grey-bearded 

 deacon hiding the withered and wormy 

 apples in the middle of the barrel, and 

 it has afforded a spicy bit of reading 

 for the public. For the past few years, 

 however, very much less of this thing 

 has been heard. The growing im- 

 portance of the industry, which is 

 ranking amongst the first in the prov- 

 ince and is bringing nearly a million 

 dollars into circulation annually, and 

 the appreciation of our fruit in foreign 

 markets demands respect. 



The Fruit Marks Act owes its origin 

 to these charges of dishonesty. The 

 farmers lay under a grave charge which 

 needed investigating. The result has 

 proved that many things are true, 

 but also that much of the trouble orig- 

 inates in second hands, and also that 

 buyers are prone to kick on quality to 

 drive a good bargain, and often with 

 the intention of obtaining a rebate of 

 the act. The speculator thinks that 

 the act is entirely for his benefit, to 

 protect him from buying poor apples, 

 but does not seem to think it should 

 prevent him from selling the same 

 apples in the same or more fraudulent 

 condition. The consumer also thinks 

 that the act is framed in his behalf to 

 protect him from the wicked grower. 

 Both are mistaken to a great extent. 

 The law was framed almost entirely in 

 the interests of the producer, in order 

 that packing may be uniform and that 

 a barrel of apples, branded No. 1, may 



*An addrcs-s delivered by Mr. D. I. Fitch last 

 winter at the N.S. Fruit Growers' Convention. 



be above suspicion, and that a general 

 feeling of confidence may exist which 

 is so necessary to easy and profitable 

 business, and also that the honest and 

 reliable packer may not be informed 

 by his careless and dishonest neighbor. 

 The Fruit Marks Act has had some- 

 thing to do with the user, but more is 

 due to the growing pride in the great 

 industry, and the feeling that confi- 

 dence in the integrity of our packing is 

 necessary to the proper growth and 

 extension of our trade. Last vear, 

 owing to the unfortunate bad quality 

 of our fruit, and irritation at the high 

 prices which were ruling, the old cry 

 revived to a certain extent. Much of 

 the complaint unfortunatelv was de- 



The Proper Bilge 



A well packed box of apples should show a bilge as 

 illustrated in the cut. Slackness results when box is 

 not full enough to bilge. 



served, especially in the local market, 

 but a great deal was exaggerated, 

 owing to the desire of the newspapers 

 to provide something spicy for their 

 readers, and to the unfortunate pleasure 

 so many human beings have in attrib- 

 uting unworthy motives to their fel- 

 low beings. 



Last season Mr. Vroom and I ex- 

 amined a great many apples, more 

 than ever before in the same time. Two 

 things were very evident as the result 

 of our investigations. Too many third 

 grade apples were shipped, and the ab- 

 solute need of a standard for No. 2's 

 was plainly evident ; since then, this 

 latter has been defined. Our apples 

 were unfortunately of poor quality 



last year, and prices were high, which 

 means, of course, that poor apples 

 were packed. This thing was carried 

 too far altogether, and a great many 

 apples went forward that were alto- 

 gether worthless, and most of them 

 marked No. 2. It is unfortunate that 

 those apples brought nearly the same 

 price as better apples, in the hurry of 

 the sales in London, and the poor 

 facilities for examination that is so 

 necessary. There is also a class of 

 buyers that are going to buy the cheap- 

 est apples no matter what they are. 

 They take the place of better apples 

 however, and very much complaint 

 and dissatisfaction is seen to arise. 

 When I was in London I heard com- 

 plaints both loud and deep over this 

 class of apples, very similar to the 

 murmurs we heard wafted over from 

 vSt. John last fall. If only three- 

 quarters of the apples had been shipped, 

 results would have been better. The 

 shipment of No. 3's, however, have 

 come to stay, which makes it abso 

 lutely necessary to have the new stand- 

 ard for the No. 2's. I am of the opinion 

 that No. 2's should be as far from spot, 

 bruise, and worm holes as No. I's; 

 that spots, cracks, and other defective 

 apples should grade No. 3, and that 

 no larger percentage of defective ap- 

 ples should be allowed than would 

 admit of speedy packing. 



Violations of section 4 still continue. 

 This section requires the name and 



Apples or Cabbages -which ? 



This cut illustrates "the horrible example" in packing 

 and wrapping anples. It was entered for competition 

 at the Niagara District Exhibition. The fact that such 

 was exhibited indicates that there are men still who do 

 not know how to pack and wrap fru't. The apples in 

 the box were excellent, but the manner of putting them 

 up, disqualified the package. 



address of the packer shall be on every 

 barrel as well as the party and grade 

 of the apple. Fictitious names are too 

 often used by dealers, and always on 

 poor lots of apples. When a man is 



