The Canadian Horticulturist. 339 



EXPORT OF APPLES. 



PPLE shippers to the British markets are not realizing such prices as 

 .^ they should so far this season. There are doubtless many reasons 

 1^^ why this is so, but looking over some of the auction sale bills, I con- 

 clude without hesitation that one great source of loss is in shipping 

 late varieties too early. Fancy Baldwin selling in Liveppool in 

 Sept. ! No wonder the price was 8/9 per barrel for the best, and less 

 for some that were used as samples at the sale. Greenings, Pomme 

 Grise, Seeks, and even Kings, in market at very little advance for the best 

 samples of the latter. Both at our own meetings and at Institutes, the matter 

 of shipping at proper seasons has often been discussed. Russets are not 

 wanted in British market, at their proper value, until after the new year. 

 February and ]N[arch are the best months to sell them. It is a mistake to ship 

 fall and winter varieties at the same time, as 1 see many have done. Then 

 from the fact that so many are reported as " slack and wet " it is evident that, 

 generally speaking, there is no improvement in manner of culling and packing ; 

 too many seconds are allowed to pass into the packages with firsts, and hence 

 the shipper has to take the price of seconds for all. I observe one sale of 

 winter kinds as early as September 16th ; no wonder the shipper lost money, as 

 the fruit was unfit for use, not being properly matured. Besides this sort of 

 thing is a decided injury to the country that produces such fruit, and the market 

 becomes demoralised. At the sales on September 30th, and October 3rd, 5th 

 and 7th, matters appear even worse, as many varieties that should have gone 

 forward early, appear at that late date as " wasty," "slack and wet," and 

 *' rotten." It seems to me if we could get our shippers to cull out only the 

 best fruit, pack tightly enough to carry without loosening, and ship specific 

 kinds only in their own season, that it would be money in their pockets, much 

 better satisfaction to the consumers, and build up a reputation for honest deal- 

 ing, and catering strictly to the wants of Britishers, that would be a credit to 

 Canada. There are shippers who work in this way, but they are the exception, 

 and the prices they obtain are also an exception. I find also that those who 

 ship to till private orders or for private sale to retailers, obtain much better 

 prices. Is this because their fruit is of superior sample, or is it an argument 

 against the auction style of doing business ? Perhaps both. We will see later 

 on. 



The Wealthy, so far as I have observed it this season, holds its reputation ; 

 and from experience up to date, would say plant more. Ontario also is clean 

 and a good crop wherever I know it, and bids fair to supplant its parents for 

 profit. Pewaukee requires cultivation and manure to keep it up to mark ; a 

 little neglect and you will find many miserable specimens on the tree. It is 

 evidently not a variety for the grower who would let the tree take care of itself. 



