20 BIENNIAL REPORT 



RECAPITULATION SHOWING NUMBER OP PACKAGES OF EACH VA- 

 RIETY AND WEIGHTS OF FRUIT RECEIVED AT BUTTE. 

 Kind of Fruit. No. of Pkgs. Weight Pkg. Total Weight. 



Apples 78,587 @ 50 3,929,350 



Pears 9,046 @ 50 452,300 



Peaches 27,786 @ 21i^ 597,399 



Plums and Prunes 21,344 @ 26 554,944 



Grapes 29,765 @ 25 669,125 



Quinces 133 @ 50 6,650 



Oranges .21,516 @ 72 1,549,152 



Lemons 11,533 @ 84 968,772 



Misc. Fruit 4,277 @ 25 106,925 



Total 8,834,617 



The results of the inspection of fruits in the markets of the state 

 have been very satisfactory and beneficial. The quality and cleanliness 

 and comparative freedom from disgusting worms and scale of the fruit 

 found in our markets this year is very noticeable as compared with pre- 

 vious years. This has come about not so much from the condemnation 

 and destruction of a few hundred packages of fruit, as from the deterrent 

 effects of a knowledge of the law and thofear of destruction upon the importa- 

 tion of such diseased or infested goods. It is now generally known that 

 ba;d fruit is in danger of being destroyed if shipped here, so a much better 

 grade is brought in, greatly to the benefit of the consumer as well as 

 to the protection from infection of the Montana orchards. 



There have been inspected under the provisions of the law prior to 

 September 1st, over 300,000 packages of fruit, of which number 1,138 pack- 

 ages were condemned and destroyed. In addition, several carloads that 

 were found to be very badly infested were at once removed from the state 

 bpr owners as an alternative to being destroyed. 



There was not as much friction between the inspectors and shippers 

 and dealers as might have been expected. The necessity and benefits of 

 the inspection were recognized by nearly every one, though some whose 

 fruit was condemned were loud in their denunciations. 



Mr. W. K. Semple, who has been the fruit inspector located at Butte, 

 has had the largest amount of work to do, and has proven himself very effi- 

 cient, and the greatest reliance can be placed in his judgment, discretion 

 and firmness. The same can be truthfully said of Mr. E. N. Brandegee, who 

 has carried out the work of inspection at Helena. Both have been ham- 

 pered in their work by the lack of means, the board being unable to appro- 

 priate sufficient money for their needs. 



