102 HARVESTING, STORING, AND MARKETING 



trends over long periods. It is probable that the situation 

 is much the same on other markets. 



This information should be of value to the grower in select- 

 ing varieties for commercial planting and may also be valuable 

 in determining the proper time to sell. In regard to the former, 

 if the price trend is downward over long periods and if the 

 variety is difficult to grow or handle, or produces a low pro- 

 portion of fruit packing in the higher grades, it would not seem 

 to be a good planting investment. If a variety does not on 

 the average appreciate in value enough during the storage 

 season to pay storage and overhead charges and return a 

 margin of profit from holding, then it would seem to be best 

 to sell immediately in a normal season. Such factors may, 

 of course, be upset in years of short crops or abnormal condi- 

 tions. Cold storage has certainly been a considerable factor 

 in extending the season for some varieties in recent years, as 

 many more varieties are at present quoted on the market in 

 January and May than for the early periods of market reports 

 when cold storage was not available. 



Taking Baldwin and Wealthy as standard, varieties not 

 selling as well in recent years as formerly are Russet, Ben 

 Davis, York Imperial, Duchess (Oldenburg), Fameuse, and 

 Maiden Blush among others. On the other hand. Northern 

 Spy and Rhode Island Greening have sold relatively better. 

 Mcintosh, not quoted until recent years, and Delicious have 

 been selling exceptionally well. 



Prices in New York City for apples grown in 1932, 1933, 

 and 1934 averaged about one-third less than the average price 

 of the five preceding crops, 1927-1931, as indicated by Table 

 23, from the same source as Tables 21 and 22. The largest 

 decrease in price was for Mcintosh, 39 percent. Delicious 

 prices decreased only 24 percent. Mcintosh prices have de- 

 creased more than other varieties, probably because of the 

 increased Mcintosh production. Decreases in the main are 

 no doubt due largely to the general depression of price levels. 



