14 



The hot, dry weather has been favorable for rapid growth, 

 freedom from disease, early ripening and good quality. At 

 the present time the crop is at least ten days earlier than the 

 average season. 



The berries and bunches are not yet quite up to the aver- 

 age in size, but the quality will be much above the average. 



The outlook for paying prices is not very good unless our 

 dealers and consumers work together to patronize home 

 industry. Our fresh native grapes, just cut from the vines, 

 are much superior to those from New York and the western 

 and south-western States. After deducting the weight of 

 basket in which the latter are packed, and the loss of 

 moisture by long standing, it will be found that, weight for 

 weight, native fruit, fresh from the package, should com- 

 mand double the price of the imported, i.e., that ten 

 pounds of fresh grapes should bring at least fifty cents. 



If, however, we consider the much superior quality of 

 our own product, we cannot but feel that there is even a 

 much greater difference in value between the two. 



This matter should receive more attention from the con- 

 sumer and dealer than is now given it, for there is a greater 

 difference between the two products in the light of health- 

 fulness. 



Late Fall and Winter Apples. 



The crop of late fall and winter apples in the State is very 

 large. The Department of Agriculture gives the per cent 

 as 87 as compared with the largest crop, but if the present 

 drouth continues this will be much reduced by the dropping 

 of the fruit. The crop seems to be pretty well distributed 

 over the entire State, though in some sections of Hampshire 

 County there are very few or no apples. 



In the eastern counties the trees are very heavily loaded, 

 especially the Baldwins and Hubbardstons. 



In many places trees that have been over trimmed on the 

 inside are breaking down badly with the weight of fruit. 



The fruit is generally fair and of good size, though on thin 

 land and where there has been no rain for a long time they 

 are small. 



In some sections the crop was injured b}' the canker 

 worm, and the necessity of being ready to fight this pest, 



