OCR Text |
Show AMERICAL APPLES ABROAD. Although Utah is known better for the products of its mines than the products of its orchards, nevertheless, nev-ertheless, the orchard crop is one of the most important im-portant contributors to the health, wealth and hap- piness of the people of this intermountain state. And in this orchard crop, tjie apple holds an important im-portant place. It is therefore interesting to read in consular reports of the increasing consumption of American apples in foreign countries. Of the orchard trees reported in the United States in .1900. o) per cent were apple trees, all other fruit trees combind representing only 45 pr cent of the whole. And of the bushels of fruit produced, the apple held S3 per cent of the whole tree fruit production. Since 1!)00 there have been many peach districts opened up in the west, and it is probable that the apple does not now hold quite as large a-percentage of the whole fruit crop, but that it retains its place as the king of fruits there is no doubt. As to the consumption of American annles abroad, the United States consul at Plymouth. England, Eng-land, reports that in two adjacent counties the sale of American apples averages from 8,000 to 10,000 barrels. The consuls at Hull. Cardiff and Cologne also report that the American apple is held in favor fa-vor by the people of their districts, but each of the consuls adds that the market could be greatly increased in-creased if ihe apples were packed in smaller sizej receptacles than the popular American barrel, and all agree that the market would be beneficially affected af-fected if the apples were properly sorted and gradpd. The American, people have become accustomed to finding the perfect apples on top of the barrel and the bottom of the barrel filled with a somewhat some-what poorer quality. The consuls in foreign lands report that this arrangement works to the disadvantage disad-vantage of the market for American apples in foreign for-eign lands, and all suggest that the apples for foreign for-eign trade should be of uniform excellence throughout through-out the package, and that the barrel be superseded by boxes which will hold about forty pounds of fruit. In this connection the consul at Cologne has this to say: "One hears in conversing with dealers many criticisms upon the manner of packing, softing and handling of American apples, much of the criticism being undoubtedly true and easily avoided by the American apple grower and shipper. The general complaint is that the fruit is unevenly assorted and either too closely or too loosely pressed. The result is the same in both eases, the fruit being bruised and as soon as exposed to the air showing the bruised places and destroying the selling quality. "The blame for this condition lies with the man who does the packing, forjie has it within his control con-trol to sec that no inferior fruit goes into the barrels bar-rels and that the heads are not unduly crowded. Many retailers have called my attention to the poor quality of the fruit in the middle of the barrel, and I have heard the statement many times that it was not worth while to buy American apples and expect to get what one paid for. Unless a reform is effected in sorting and packing it will not be long before there will be no market at all in Germany for American apples." It has been asserted so frequently that the packing pack-ing of fruit is second in importance only to the raising of the fruit that it seems the American fruit packers would adopt the suggestion and exercise exer-cise more care or more honesty, whichever it is that is responsible for the present unsatisfactory condition, con-dition, and give the consumers of their product packages in which the fruit is of uniform size and quality. There are plenty of apples raised in Utah just as good as any that an Englishman or a German Ger-man ever put into his mouth, but there are very few apples or any other fruit marketed in the city of Salt Lake that could not be enhanced wonderfully wonder-fully in value if they were handled properly. Jn the reports of the foreign consuls there is a suggestion sugges-tion of value to fruit raisers for the local market. |