30 



In the above condition this six pounds or less of grapes is not 

 worth one-half as much as fresh, well ripened, home-grown fruit 

 with its invigorating qualities and the natural bloom upon it, as 

 it is when taken from the package of the local grower. Compar- 

 ing this fruit at its actual cost to the consumer with the local produc- 

 tion, leaving out the consideration of its unhealthfulness, we can 

 safely say that the home-grown product is worth from five to seven 

 cents per pound, at which prices grape growing in New England 

 would be one of the most profitable branches of horticulture we 

 could follow. 



The above conditions apply ivith much greater force to other and 

 more perishable fruits like the peach, strawberry, raspberry and 

 blackberry. 



The peach comes to us from the south in a half-decayed condi- 

 tion. There it must be picked long before it is ripe in order to 

 ship it to us, and we find that the basket of fruit that we pay from 

 75 cents to $1.50 for gives us only about one-half of a basket of 

 serviceable fruit, and that a full basket equal in quantity to a 

 basket that we would get from the local grower would cost us 

 from $1,50 to $3.00 per basket. The native product, on account 

 of its superior quality and freshness, is worth far more to the 

 consumer than the unwholesome imported fruit, and our growers 

 should have the benefit of this difference in price as well as in an 

 increased consumption. 



The strawberry, raspberry and blackberry often comes to us 

 from the south in a much less satisfactory condition than even the 

 peach, and as soon as the native crop comes to our markets there 

 should be no place or demand for such products. 



Poor fruit lessens the demand as well as the price, tchile good 

 fruit increases both. The more good fruit people have the more 

 they want, while poor fruit of one kind causes people to look for 

 other and better kinds. If peaches are poor, raspberries, black- 

 berries, grapes, pears, etc., are in demand. 



The above considerations lead us to the conclusion that the 

 grower and dealer should combine forces in order to supply the 

 consumer with wholesome, fresh fruit at a fair price, and that 

 the consumer should demand and buy only such fruit, that more 

 and better fruit may be grown to the mutual benefit of all. 



To do this mutual understanding is necessary, the grower and 

 dealer endeavoring to put on the market only the amount that will 

 be consumed each day. Only the best should be sold in the local 

 market, the surplus and the lower grades being shipped or sold for 

 canning purposes. 



