SOME GRATIFYING COMPARISONS

The following statistics from the United States census of 1903 may be of interest:

New York leads in the production of fruit, exclusive of subtropical fruits. Twelve and one-tenth per cent of the fruit production of the United States is in New York.

Orchard fruit of 1903 was valued at $10,542,272

Grapes of 1903 were valued at 2,763,711

Small fruits of 1903 were valued at 2,538,363

The following table will give an idea of the extensive cultivation of

small fruits:

Acres Product-quarts

Raspberries 12,376 17,575,530

Strawberries 7,311 13,846,860

Currants 2,594 4,584,080

Blackberries 2,060 3,167,090

Other berries 710 862,107

Number of vines Product-pounds

Grapes 29,636,316 247,689,056

From the following a comparison may be drawn between the number of trees and apple product of the two leading apple states:

Number of trees Product-bushels

New York 15,054,832 24,111,257

Missouri 20,040,399 6,496,436

The average number of apple trees per farm in the United States was 74.5; the same for New York was 86.2. The average production in bushels per farm in the United States was 64.8; the same for New York was 138.1.

A considerable proportion of the trees in Missouri, quoted above, are young trees, and the relative products will soon show far different results unless New York fruit growers awake to the situation. In all of the western fruit growing states the annual planting of young trees is rapidly increasing, a precaution which our fruit growers are not taking to any great extent. Moreover, the lack of interest on the part of New York growers in expositions and the opportunity there afforded for advertising the superiority of New York products is a subject for comment. It is in marked contrast to the interest and progressive spirit of the growers in the western states who never lose such an opportunity, and are gradually working into the front ranks of fruit production. In many of the western states no public funds nor machinery were provided for a horticultural exhibit at St. Louis, but very creditable exhibits were prepared, the entire expense of the same being borne by fruit growers' associations. In marked contrast is a rather unfortunate precedent heretofore adopted in the State of New York, and of necessity followed at St. Louis, viz.

: That the State, in order to obtain a creditable exhibit, must pay a fancy price for fruit for exhibition purposes and allow the seller to receive the award upon fruit which is no longer his own property.