No. 4.] FRUITS FOR LOCAL MARKETS. 51 



year there were shipped by the railroads of the United States 

 11,000 carloads of cantaloupes, — that wonderful develop- 

 ment of fruit consumption in ten or tAvelve years on one 

 single variety of fruit. So these railroad lines, and this re- 

 frigerator service and these better packages, and this habit 

 of fruit eating, have been a splendid thing for the grower 

 who supplies the local market. 



Some people say the local markets are ruined where there 

 is fruit comino; in from the west and south. Some of our 

 markets have been held up, on the whole, but the people we 

 reach have been taught to want fruit, and want it all the 

 time, and it remains for the local grower to readjust himself 

 to the local conditions. The thing that seems to hurt him 

 in a way is actually benefiting him. Of com'se he cannot 

 sell the poor fruit he once did, or fruit offered in an unat- 

 tractive package ; but on the whole he is much better off 

 than ever before, if he will readjust himself to these new 

 conditions. The first big advantage the local grower has 

 over the outsider is that his fruit may be allowed to mature 

 on tree, plant or vine, until it comes to the very highest 

 state of perfection. The grower at a distant point, of course, 

 sa}^ 500 or 1,000 miles away, can leave it until pretty near 

 perfection, but must pick it in a somewhat immature condi- 

 tion. The local grower has the advantage of developing it 

 to its highest state of perfection, which of course means the 

 fullest size, the greatest measure of beauty and the biggest 

 price. Many of our fruits add from 10 to 25 per cent in 

 weight or bulk in the last twenty-four or thirty-six hours 

 they are on the vine or tree ; and this great advantage will 

 always come to the local grower, who has the still greater 

 advantage of beauty of color, which comes to the fruit in 

 its last development. He gets the highest development of 

 beauty, and also of quality, in the fruit. Having these 

 things, — size and beauty and quality, and less chance of 

 bruising, — he is enabled to get a much higher price than 

 the distant grower. Some grades of fruit brought from 

 within 15 miles of Springfield will bring from 30 to 50 per 

 cent more than if brought from 300 or 400 miles away. 



Another advantage, — he may oftentimes sell direct to the 



