40 BULLETIN 1416, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
especially the supply of barreled Ben Davis, Gano, and Jonathan. 
Crop conditions in New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, eastern New 
Mork: and southern Illinois have much influence on the supply of 
very early apples including Yellow Transparent, Red Astrachan, 
Williams, and Early Harvest. Shortage in the boxed-apple region 
of the West favorably affects the demand for dessert varieties pro- 
duced in the East. 
USING THE EARLY PRICES 
In making a forecast the early prices quoted in producing sections 
are a help, including prices of the early varieties and of the late 
varieties in the earliest shipping regions. Sometimes early apples 
are abundant and the main crop a failure, or the other way around. 
But as a rule, the early varieties, more especially the so-called fall 
kinds, sell at a general level mndicating the strength and trend of 
the market for the main crop. 
Quotations of the first main-crop apples come in September from 
the Virginia and West Virginia shipping points and from apple 
regions of Missouri and adjacent States. These early sales afford 
some indication of the coming general market, if terms and the 
reported quality are carefully noted. Reports of early contract 
sales come from the Northwest at about the same time and are 
valued as indicating the general feeling of the trade. Prices of sum- 
mer apples at least indicate the condition of the demand for fruit. 
Prices of fall apples from New York, Pennsylvania, New England, 
Michigan, Missouri, and Illinois are to be noted with considerable 
care. : 
THE MAKING OF EARLY PRICES 
The price of the early apples will itself depend somewhat upon the 
general condition of the fruit and produce markets and somewhat 
upon the proportion and location of the early fruit in the season’s 
crop. [Early fruit is not so easily shipped to distant markets and 
only the usual sources of supply of any particular market are of 
prime importance. The grower of early apples should watch the 
principal early shipping sections, including southern Illinois, Kentucky, 
Tennessee, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and eastern New York 
and note what the official reports say about the early crop. The 
prices of other fruits are worth consideration, and the consumers’ 
general state of prosperity and employment. If conditions promise 
well, the grower will plan so that his early apples will not be neglected 
in the rush of other work, and baskets, men, and teams will be on 
hand. The perishable early crop is really harder to market than 
the late crop because of the promptness, speed, and care needed in 
handling and transportation. 
MAIN-CROP PROSPECTS 
Spring and early summer news of the main or late crop is neces- 
sarily indefinite. A full bloom is often frosted and it may fail to set 
any large crop, especially if the trees bore heavily the year before. 
Hither the weather, tree weakness, or insect attack may cause a 
heavy drop in early summer. By July and August indications become 
more reliable but may be considerably changed by insects, drought, 
or other weather conditions. Now that the orchard pests are fought 
with fair success, the most common midseason influence is rainfall, 
Fear 
