SiXTElSNTII JNNUAL MEETING. 77 



nearly perfect i)ackag-e and the frnit itself is in nearly a perfect 

 condition npon arrival; it is especially satisfactory to hotel 

 people. A hotel man can ])ny 150 apples for $3 and he knows 

 ever}' apple will be in perfect condition, whereas if he buys a 

 barrel of apples for $3 he is liable not to lind 150 perfect apples 

 in the whole barrel. 



A Member: Don't yon think Connecticut growers could 

 raise as good apples as they do in Oregon or Colorado and 

 other Western states, pack them in boxes and get as good a 

 price? 



Mr. Patch : I am afraid that Connecticut or any other 

 New England state cannot grow as fancy a looking apple as 

 can Colorado, Oregon or Idaho ; they have the soil and atmos- 

 pheric conditions right for producing the finest looking apples 

 in the world. 



A Member: Bat how about the flavor? 



Mr. Patch : I am a New Englander and I don't think 

 there is any flavor in the world equal to that of our New Eng- 

 land-grown apple. I don't believe there is an apple that has 

 the sharpness and crispness of the New England-grown apple, 

 and that is one reason why our New England apples don't keep 

 as well as the \\>stern apples do. 



Others present expressed the belief that if Connecticut 

 growers would spray more they would th.en be in the same 

 class with the growers of the Western states. 



A ]\Iember: Is it possible to pack a barrel of apples and 

 ship it a thousand miles and have it in such condition that the 

 apples won't rattle at the end of that time? 



Another Member: Yes, sir, and you aren't obliged to 

 press tliem too hard, either. 



iV Member: What is the advantage of a box over a bar- 

 rel as a package for handling fancy fruits or apples, and trans- 

 pi )rting them and having them arrixe at any market in as good 

 condition as when they left your liands?* 



Mr. Patch: ^^'ell, a barrel and a box are entirely dif- 

 ferent packages; some want a ])arrel and some \\ant a box. 



I consider the box the ideal ])ackage. It is a difificult 

 matter to get our growers to ])nt their a]:)ples in boxes yet, but 



