248 MODERN FRUIT MARKETING 
apple crop. The yield was probably never before reached 
in the apple industry, yet the movement of the crop was 
regular and without confusion. The prices were not 
so high as in former years, still sufficient to warrant fair 
returns for the money invested. Prices ran steady and 
even, aad the distribution was uniform. Intelligent ad- 
vertising and broadminded business methods were re- 
sponsible for this unusual situation. Accurate statistics, 
even prices, uniform packages and standard grades have 
inspired confidence in the buying public, and advertising 
has created the demand. 
Gathering Statistics—Reliable figures on fruit crops 
have ever been hard to get. This has been due in part 
to the perishable nature of the product, also to the lack 
of any well-organized effort in collecting data. Some- 
thing has already been mentioned of the efforts of the In- 
ternational Apple Shippers’ Association in gathering 
statistics on the apple, but these do not include any of 
the other fruits. As the market prices depend largely 
upon the quantity of the fruit harvested it is highly 
desirable to get an accurate forecast of the conditions 
of the crop. The more information that can be placed 
in the hands of the producers and distributors of the 
fruit the greater the opportunity for getting equitable 
returns for the labor involved. 
Government Reports.—For years the United States 
government has maintained a department for reporting 
crops. This has been under the auspices of the Agri- 
cultural Department and ineludes reports on all the im- 
portant agricultural crops. This work has been col- 
lected largely through the Post Office Department and 
through the efforts of special field agents. Printed 
