UMASS/AMHERST 315DbbD0SlSflD^S APPLE INDUSTRY OF THE U.S. D. H. &ORE LIBRARY OF THE MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE SOURCE- '^fi.i ai^sK. 363 G67 v,^*/* »•'' oAim Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Boston Library Consortium IVIember Libraries http://www.archive.org/details/someinterestingaOOgore SOME UTTERBSTIffG ASPECTS OP THE APPIS INDUSTRY OP THE UWITT5D STATES 4 3-^.2 It BIBIIOGBAPHY . BOOKS. How to Grow and Market !Pruit. Harrison Mua^series, Berlin, ltd. Paddock and Whipple. Ibruit Growing in Arid Eegions. Waugh, F. A. The American Apple Orchard. Orange Judd Go. , !T. Y. , 1908. Waugh, F. A. "Pruit B&T'vestlna^ ^ Htorini?;, Marketing. Orange Judd Co. , N. Y. , 1901. P"f:piobicals. Teal, J. H. The Influence of Panama Canal and Navigalale Rivers. Better l^ruit. 5'e'bruary, 1914. HTLISTIi^S AWD REPOBTS. Orchard Management. Oregon Agricultural College and Sxperiment Station. Gornwallis, Oregon. Oregon larmer. Oregon State Iraiaigration CoEmission. Portland, Oregon. How Sod affected an Apple Orchard. Bulletin No. 314. 'I. Y. Agricultural Experi- ment Station. Atwell , Homer C. Co-operation Among Fruit Growers. Does an Orchard Need fertilizer. Bulletin Mo. 339. N. Y. Agricultural -pxperi- Bient Station, (reneva , -J. Y. Fletcher, S. W. Three Problems in Virginia Fruit Growing. Presented at the stuumer meeting of the Virginia State Horticultural Society. July, 1913. Gilbert, H. M. "Prom Pruit Grower to Consusier. Pro- ceedings of the 9th annual meeting of the Washington State Horticultural Association. January, 1913. Gould, H. P. Some CoEaments about Present Status of the ?ruit Industry. Report of the IF^th annual session of the Virginia State Horticultural Society. February, 1911. Kains , M. F. Go-operation. Report of the 20th annual meeting of the Wsst Va. State Horticultural Society. Loomis, E. P. The Sulzer Grading and Packing Law. Report of the 17th annual session of the Virginia State Horticultural Society. March, 1913. Waggoner, G. J. The Benefit of Advertising, Waugh, "P. A. Can We ?;ell Our Apples. COBRESPOWDSUCT , with Department of Afrriculture , Ottaisra, Canada- Department of Apiculture, Washinitfton , D. C, International Apple Shippers' Association. Rochester, Mew York. Massachusetts Agricultural College. Amherst, Mass. Missouri ntate iioard of Horticulture. North Pacific Fruit Distributors. Spokane, Washington. Horthwestern Fruit Exchange. Portland, Oregon. UniTersity of J«lissouri. Coluiahia , Missouri . University of Wisconsin. Madison, Wisconsin. U T L I N 1 A. THR BAISITTG OF APPLES. 1. Development of Scientific Methods. 2. Varieties. 3. NuBibsr of Trees and size of product 4. Legislation. a. Crop Pest Law. b. Sulzer Bill. B. THR MAHOTITTG OP APPL-RS. 1. Co-operative Organizations. a. Eastern. Id. Western. (1) N. P. F. B. (2) n. p. 1. (3) I. A. S. A. 2. The Markets. 3. Exports. C. THE OUTLOOK POR TIIS FUTURE. SOMi: IlfTEBTilSTIHG ASP"R!CTr? Ol? THl APPLE ITOUHTRY OV TFR UITITID STATES . A survey of the apple industry of the United. States is a large and comprehensive subject. To attempt to sumiaarize in a few pages what has as yet not even been done in book form would be an impossibility. Books and articles have been m^itten on different phases of the subject, but the task of making a coiuplete survey of the industry is as yet undone. It is a sub- ject that would cover practically the whole country, one on Tffhich it is difficult to obtain accurate information, and one vhich is changing continually. Some aspects of it, hov/ever, are of special interest to the consumer who considers the apple part of the normal diet, and yet, on account of present prices, rather a luxury. Such information as I have acquired, and more, is f?ladly furnished by the Department of Agriculture at Wash- ington, the ntate Experiment Stations, the State Horticultural T^ocieties, and the co-operative organizations. There is probably no branch of agriculture that has developed in the past 20 years under such impetus as has the fruit industry. 50 years ago the small quantity produced was largely used for the manufacture of wine and cider, but now fresh and canned fruit are aaonn: the staple articles of dietV [This great advance in cc/mnercial fruit growing, and especially commercial apple arrowing, is largely due to the extended use of scientific methods. As long as little care was taken of the trees, people did not rish to eat the unattractive diseasedA -2- fruit. Within those 20 years great strides have been taken until now the apple as we buy it is much nearer perfectl^All apples, however, are not perfect, and what the growers are working hardest for now is to attain the level where all apples shall be free from disease and blemish, and of fine color and shape, and properly packed and sold at a moderate price. The operation of spraying for insect pests and fungus diseases has been almost universally adopted in a remarkably short time, more so in the Bast than in the West where these pests have not been allowed to gain xauch headway. The West ^las used prevention and the i^ast has h^d to use cure and pre- vention. Experiment stations, especially in Hew York State, have }aade many experiments on the culture of apple trees and their reports have greatly aided the growers. As a result of one set of plantings Hew York showed that in the average soil coiamercial fertilizers are not necessary, if tillage and good care are the rule, and occasional doses of stable maniire %& cw~s\ cover crops are f^iven. The reason given is that trees grow slower than field crops and take up more crater and consequently more material. Also only a sraall part is removed in the fruit, and the leaves return to the ground again. By good tillage and the solvent action of the decaying crops the unavailable material in the ground is made available. Where fertilizers are needed, the ground is usually unfavorable in other ways also , and fail- ure will often result. Similar comparative experiments showed that tillage, besides making food available, supplies the tree with water by preventing evaporation. Many trees do grow well -3- in sod, but not becaiise of it, but in spite of it. Othei' ex- periments showed that field crops, a small portion of ViChich are plowed under, can be grown aiaong the ti'ees and thus pay for the use of the land until the orchard is bearing, and also benefit the trees. The West uses these cover crops very ex- tensively. These tests are all made to aid the growers in raising their fruit in the best and most economical way. A tree is pruned to make it shapely, so that the sun can get in, so that thorough spraying can be done , so that the fruit can be gathered easily and to remove diseased wood. Most of the best orchards do hand picking, and sorting and packing by hand or machinery. 5^uit growers do not agree as to the best methods of spraying, pruning or picking, but they do af-ree that some good laethod is necessary and it must suit their orchard and its location. ; Most people would be surprised to know how many varieties of apples there are. The U. H. Department of Agri- culture has published a bulletin containing the naiiies of the known varieties referred to in American publications from 1304 to 1904. This list contains approximately 14,800 names, of which 6,700 are distinct varieties, the remaining 8,100 being synonyms. Soraetiaes one variety will have 40 naaes. Besides this list there are given 375 accredited varieties of crab apples with 225 synonyms. At present the American Pomological Societies' reconmended list contains 319 varieties of apples and 32 of crab apples. Of these, about ten varieties probably constitute 75 - 90^ of the comriercial apples, and they are all -4- varieties over 50 years old. Such, fatiiliar names as Baldwin, Ben Pavis, Jonathan, Northern Spy, Trreening , and Yellow Mew- — 1 tovi'n "H-reet us.; As yet the di.^ferent states do not produce special varieties although the West does not attempt Eastern ones. The growers are anxious to produce more specialization as to varieties, and yet it is for their "benefit to raise both winter and siinuuer varFStios , thus distrihuting their labor. With a snail number of varieties on sale the consmaer could easily learn what she likes and its season. .^_™„„ Burlnf? the period from 1890 to 1900 apple growing took its biggest jump. It was during this decade that spraying was beini? universally adopted, and the number of apple trees in bearing increased 68/. In 1900 of the total minber of fruit trees reported, 55€ were apple trees and they produced B3f' of the total number of bushels of fruit. In 1896 we had our record crop of 207,000,000 bushels of apples. Such a year as this in R'hich all regions produce a full or normal crop is exceptional. Since 1900 the number of trees and the production has been fall- ing off in spite of the great extension of apple orchards. In 1910 the census figures showed a decrease of 33. 4^ in acreage. This decrease is probably due to the cutting down of the poorer orchards to give way to other products and to ne?^ ti"ees which have not yet borne fruit. While the niaaber of trees decreased about 50,000,000 as compared with 1900, the number of trees not yet bearing was about 65,000,000. While in 1839 the production was 143,105 ,f>89 bushels, it rose in 1899 to 175,397,600 bushels, but fell in 1909 to 147,522,313 bushels. It seems to be still falling for in 1912 it if?aR only about 120,000,000 bushels. What ihe effect of these new acres o£ scientifically set out trees »111 be remains to be seen, but a rise in proauction is generally expected. There seeas to oe mora specialiaation now as to which •parts of the country shsll r&lss apples, altho ©very ar^te has Bome &ppl9 trees. Zet us coapars & few of the steites. The 1890, 1900, and 1910 censuses give the production of apples in the year precaedlng , and this of conree raay be affected by yeathar- conditions, "out is as accurate as such figures ever can he. Talc* Ohio, vrhich in 1689 led, in the nisiber ot bussheis pro- dtjced, in 1899 was thirfe in rank ano, in 1909 was tenth. I'hea l0w York ^hich in 18S9 «a3 ssTenth, in 1899 4©. 1909 -was first, in the latter year protiucing 25,409,324 buBhels, which was t^-ice as rnxjch as ki Chilean, which came next «?ith its 12,532,296 huehels. Home of the States, as Iowa, ahov? a fe-K-sr na'ai>er of trees in 1910 than in 1900 but a production t*»ice as large. Oregon and I'/ashington more than ' of the orch&ros in that state had no -6- scleatific care and the other 205'' only sli(?;ht. It is the middle ^est and West which are setting out the large numbsr of trees. Virginia, West Virginia, i'few York, and Pennsylvania ars the only Eastern states which have so far considered the apple as important conEaercially, altho some of the small states have a large number of trees compared to their area, Massachusetts has its orchards out they are decreasinp in number and in pro- dtiction. The States which le^d in products in 1909 v/ere 'few York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, i^issouri , PCentucky , lov/a, and Ohio. Washington and Oregon do not stend high in theii* product at present, but it is high compared to the nuxiiber of trees, and. they each had in 1910 as raany trees a^ain not yet of bearing age. In an average axade by the IJ. S. l')epartment of Af'^ri culture of a possible full crop, Oregon in 1912 had 96f^ of quality and 82'^ of quantity, and in 1913 98^? of quality and 100/' of quantity. This was the hir;hest percentafre ever obtained in any section. The size of the apple orchai'ds varj'^ in different states and. v«ithin a state. In Oregon and Virginia they average from 5 to 500 acres. In kissouri the average size of 14,645 orchards was 8 acres, but there were 83 of over 100 acres. The largest orchards reqt^ire a great deal of care and are usually those owned by ri^li business men and corporations. Those of about 30 acres are the most convenient size and p-ive an incoiae under scientific care of anjrwhere from .flOO to |800 an acre./ There has been very little legislation in this country concerning the apple Industry. The different states liave passed a few laws about spraying. Virginia v^-as one of the first, with -7- its Crop Pest Law in the earlj'' nineties, v'hich has been the ■basis for similar laws in a number of states. It has contrib- uted more to the development of coiojuercial fruit growing in that state than almost any other factor. The basis is nursery inspection and the inspection of orchards. The inspector can order diseased trees cut down if the grower will not spray theiii, but this compulsory treatment is seldom enforced. It is in fact seldom needed. The law works tho i r education Ijy the in- spectors of the nurseryiien and f^rowers, and has proved that it is "better to lead than to drive. The eastern laws are not as drastic as the western ones, out the western ones suit r.heir conditions and v-ould not fit ours. They are largely to prevent the introduction of pesta, hence must oe more drastic. Our eastern laws were frained i^ith full recognition of the fact that nearly all serious orchard pests are now spread throughout the SJast , and the only sensible recourse is to educate the growers to cope with the pests themselves, coupled with thorouf.-h in- spection of nurseries, the chief eentrea of dissemination. The principal national law is in regard to packing. The standard pack, however, is not oblif^atory unless the stencil "U. S. Standard" is used on the packa/^e. Although the law allows many loopholes in its vs or dlnp; , it is a step in the rigrht direction for a well packed box or barrel of good cjrade apples. It teaches the grower how apples should be sold. The size of a standard box and barrel are fixed, and the size of the apples. The ""firsts" must be more than 2^- inches in diaiaeter if large ones and 2 1/4 inches if si^all ones. Then each grade below is -8- l/4 inch less. This does not require th-at they shall all oe Z\ inches, but that is the minimura for that grade. Color has not usually been considered, but this law asks for good color and uniform, throuf^hout the barrel or box. The apples must rank 95S perfect as to shape , color , SBioothness and freedom frora bruises and disease, ^iany new grading and sizing machines are now on th.e niarket , which when used, leave the packers free to watch the apples as they go along for blemishes and poor color. The more n;enerally this pack is used, the higher will be the grade of apples on the market. The East uses the barrel almost v-'Yiolly , and the West the boxes. With the growing dauand for more house space boxes will be more generally used because they take up less room ana can be purchased as needed. The average box contains about one bushel but is not sold that way but by the actual number of apples. The average barrel contains about three bushels. The Apple Industry consists of t^o parts. The first, which we have .just dealt with, is the raising of fine fruit and the packing it suitably for market. The second part lies in the distribution of that fruit in such a careful and intelligent way that it will bring back to the producers the greatest value possible. One of the biggest problems to-day is this proper distribution of the apple crop. Every year there is a heavy rush of apples onto the raarket during September and October , giving the speculators, who can store them, an oppoi'tunity to make profit at the expense of the grovfers. If those apples could be stored until needed, the overflowing of the market -9- woxjsld "be avoided. A better territorial distribution would be still more valuable. The entire coEimercial output is shipped to a few large cities, w-here it is stored and reshipped as it is ordered. As a result it is never spread very widely and many regions do not know the apple. If the crops were shipped directly to the different parts of the country without using the central markets, the area of apple consumers could be doubled. It is easily seen that what is needed for these fair returns to the frxower and a wider market is co-operation ataong the growers. Within the last few years this has been developed, to a considerable extent, ■sspecially in the West. In the East it has not spread very widely because the grovrers have easy ac- cess to the market and can g-et pood prices without co-operation. The Ifastern l^uit Growers' Association devotes most of its energies to legislation and freight rates. In the }?a.st most selling orfjanizations have failed because the inembers do not work for each other. The lart?:e stock-holders try to make money out of the smaller ones. It is >iard to organiae an association, to find the rinht aian to nianage it, to make it strong enough to fight the buyers who are already organized, but chiefly to get the fanaere to stick together. In every case where a far- mer's exchan'?e or association h^s been foriT^ed and succeeded, it hjas been because the fanners have been forced to get together. Without organization the growers have little knov'ledp^e of the market and are dependent on the coiamission men. If the i?:rowers hear that prices are hig^h, they ship and niay flood the market and get low prices frora the wholesalers. To succeed there must -lo- be sizeable shipment s to the market continually and not apasHHodically. If the growers agree to sell through the associa- tion and then sowe don't, the association will fail. A strong advantage in an organization is that it can establish packs, crates, and brands for all the members. Hear MorfolJc, Va. there is a farmer's exchange which is very loose in organiza- tion but it has succeeded. It tells its menibers which commis- sion men to ship to in each city and then every day reports on the conditions in those cities, and in that way directing the shipaents more or less. Other organizations have everything shipped through them and hold themselves responsible. If the same comiaission men are always traded with they will usually co-operate with the grower or the association, but an associa- tion is better able to resulate the supply, and deinand fairness than an indivixiual is. The last as a whole, however, has few organiaations. Practically all states have Horticultural societies but they spend most of their time in discussion. In the West co-operation has spread widely, especially in the Pacific North West. It has been applied to the selling of almost all products, as the markets are usually at a distance. In Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia there are 175 organizations and 45 of these are in Washington. If it were not for these, apples could not be shipped East. Most of the larger associations are composed of small local ones. Most of the organizations limit their membership to apple growers, and limit the amount of stock each may own ae^ t.heir voting power. A capital is always x'equired in order that the output -11- may be held laack , if desired, foi' a year. As a rule the growers contri^oute the fruit and wait for the returns. They treat the association as the "business end of their orchards. Soxes, paper, spray materials, etc., can he bought in large quantities from the cheapest source and sold to the members at reduced cost. Chare-es for handling are placed at such a figure per box that it pays the general running expenses. Such an organi- zation is the Cashmere Fruit Growers Union in Washington, which has about 100 members. The Hood Biver Organization was the first fruit growers association of the northwest and was formed in 1893. Now the Horth Pacific ?'ruit distributors handle most of the fruit of that valley. It has been estimated that that corpora- tion handles 40'^" of the product of Washington. It is organized into 109 locals which are .p-rouped into 8 sub-centrals and these are united in the Llstributors. It is purely co-operative and is owned and controlled by the growers, who elect the officers. They contract their crops through the locals and so to the Dis- tributoi-s. This association deals with every variety of fruit in the "Northwest. It has established uniform grade and pack which is strictly enforced. Every member has his crop estimated and inspected in the field and in the warehouse by the local inspectors. It Ib again examined by the sub-central and finally \)y the inspectors of the Distributors who go the rounds of the sub-centrals. I!ach grower markets his fruit under his trade name and pays the organization fl5 a carload for its services. It is simply a selling orpranization , but it can get correct -12- estimates of the crops and daily reliable inforuiation of the markets, thus regulating the supply and taking all the responsi- bility off the grower. The iJorthwe stern T'riiit .Exchange is an association for a similar purpose but has a different organization. It vras started in 1910 and is a corporation, although a growers agency. The aembership is of asBociations , not individuals, of which in 1912 there were 30. There is no meiiibership fee, but shares may be bought by growers. Nine directors have general oversight and a growers' council composed of one representative from each association, laeets and co-operates with the directors, ??iving estimates as to the prooable crops, etc. It charges |;.10 on all f. o. b. sales, "but any B^ssociaiion rtiay sell outside and retain 1/2 the £.10 selling charge. Also it can refuse to sell at the price the Exchange offers. So far no dividends have ever been paid on the sliares. The Exchange substitutes a trained sales organisation for a too frequently untrained sales manager. It realized that in order to know the destaand of the markets there should be a resident salesman in each city. In order to meet this expense it united with other non-competing organiza- tions in the country tc hire their salesman and formed the fJorth American T'Yuit Exchange. In January, 1915, this system had 123 branch offices and employed 229 markets in the United States, Canada, Siirope and the Orient. The Exchange la:ys great stress on f. o. b. sales. This is better for both the ,Q;rower and the buyer. Under this system the fruit is sold before pickea and there is less anxiety. When the buyer purchases in this way he -13- "has from one to three weeks to plan for its disposal and so it is worth more to him. It is also v?orth more to the grower be- cause all the deniand is still arailable as a saarket. This ad- vance listing of goods saves time, and the grower's responsi- bility ends when the cars a:^-e loaded. In 1911 the Exchange averaged 24 days between shipment and pajmient for every car handled, and for one association 75^^ of its output was sold prior to harvest. The International Apple Bhippers Association takes up the question froiii the wholesaler's or commission men's side. It was organized in 1895 with 50 members which had increased this j'-ear to 550. Its object i^'as not to affect prices, but to furnish reliable and accurate infoiination to its merabers con- cerning the condition and extent of the apple crop in any one season, to encourage high grade fn,'it and good packing, and to spread advertising. They do not believe in doing awaj with the middlemen, naturally, but want better relations between the growers, the cosEiission r^ereliants and the retailers. This lack of Imrmonious relations helps to create uncertainty as to con- ditions and intensifies the gambling feature of the business. Crop reporting from growers' and dealers' organizations show direct antipathy of view point. Bo neither report is believed. What is needed is unbiased government reports from each state. Also if growers would stick to dealers and dealers to growers a feeling of mutual interest would arise. It is better to have a steady increasing market and low jjrices than an irregular market with extremes of prices. Co-operation all around is the -14- way to gain this end which the grower and buyer are seeking. ■^ The principal apple markets are New York, Boston, Chicago, and Philadelphia. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1912 at Boeton were 285,663 "bhl. , at New York 2,485,176 hbl. and for Chicago for the year ending June 30, 1913, 1,166,000 bhl. The Northwest and Idaho and Colorado ship perhaps 30.Z5/O of their apples East as first class. The absolutely scientific orchards ship 85 - 9Qf> of their crop. The rest is sold locally and alonp' the Pacific Coast. It cost on an average, from ¥ashinp:ton and Oregon to New York, |.50 per 50 lb. box in a carload. T^'rom Virginia to IJew York about i.lB per 100 lbs. Thus the cost plus the freight per box is approximately as high as the average price of the eastern apple per barrel within 200 miles of its markets. The average price received by the Western grower for the season 1913-14 was frora ll.OO to |1.50 a box. The coraaission men usually get from 10 - 25/^ and the shipper 10^. Most of these apples sell for 1-3.00 up a box. The reason the retailer gets this hit^h price is because he has to take the risk of the apples spoiling on his hands, he has to buy and usually sell in small quantities, and he has to deliver. The retailers need to be educated more as to the varieties, seasons, storage and ho^ to sell more. The market in Hew York is not located in one place. The fruit arrives at two different freight terminals. At Water Street it is sold directly from the car. A few barrels are taken out by the commission men to v/hom the lot is assigned and are examined by the buyers from the retail houses, hotels, etc. After the -15- different lots have "been looked over the auction opens around one comrnission man's stand, continues until his lot is sold, and then moves on to the next. At the other tenrdnal the fruit is taken to the salesrooms of the coairuission men. This lack of a central unloading and sellinpf place is one of the chief drawbacks of the Ifew York market. Our exports in apples are relatively small compared with the amount produced. Out of 30 or 40 million barrels, one or two million is a small part. But even such a small foreign insrket asay greatly relieve horae pressvire and serve as a "safety valve" for market conditions. To Canada in 1913 we sent 320,357 b&rrels , which required a duty of |127,890.40. The question which is being greatly agitated at present is the future of the Apple Industry. Whether with these extensive plantings and scientific methods the market will not be swamped and the industry no longer be a paying one. It vas estimated that in 1910 there was an increase in the number of trees not of bearing age which would increase in a few yesLTS the number of those bearing 44^, and that in 5 ^/ears the crop will probably be three times that of 1912 or 300,000,000 bushels. But the number of trees is decreasing almost as fast as the new ones are increasing. Also some say that if one-third of the present plantings become coHsaercial they will do better than plantings have ever done before. But , granting that better plantings are beinp; made and this high figure is reached, the outlook is a bright one. ]?irst , our population is increasing faster than the output of apples. -16- Also at present 46?!' of it is a city population. These people can and ought to eat a great many more apples than they do at present. With the new Parcel Post system saniples can be dis- tributed, and also boxes which are ordered, thus doinp; away with the retailer. For this, extended and intelligent adver- tising is needed and luust come in the near future. Then our foreign market is broadening. Panama Canal will greatly affect the development of this, for water trans- portation is cheaper than rail. The eastern market will be left free for the eastern growers and the western apples will be shipped along the Gulf and to Europe and South Aiiie^rica. Already one shipment has been sent, 15,000 boxes, at great ex- pense , via Ifew York ,'^ London aftd. Buenos Ayres. Thus a deiriand is being established in fiTf^entine which can be supplied as soon as the canal is opened. The "Flast has no line of boasts going to Argentine th8.t have refrifzerator accojTjinodati ons worth speak- i ng of . The market demands a cheaper apple. The average fairdly cannot afford fanc}'- grades. By riaking them cheaper the grower can increase the deiaand for his supply. lie can make prices cheaper by iraproved methods and more use of machinery, by mors utilization of the waste fruit for canning and drying, but chiefly by concerted action whereby they can get properly in touch irith the consumers. !?very housewife should learn the g-ood points of the many varieties, and know when to buy them at their best. The retailers must learn when to put thsm on -17- sale . Go-operation all around is the way to increase the demand which the producer wants, and to loiA'er the price which the constuner ivants. ^cr^>^^5v^.^^ ^V.c3v^cv^,Xo ^^\/troi-. Simmons College, Boston, May 7 , 1914 . COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE DIVISION OF HORTICULTURE FRANK A. WAUGH Head of Division of Horticulture Professor of La7idscape Gardening Amherst, Mass., May 14, 1914, Mr, Charles R. Green, Library, Lear Green: Of course I don't keep up a general correspondence with so many girls as you do, but one of then in Simmons *^ollege Avho has been •writing me some interesting things lately has sent me a copy of her thesis in economics. She makes me a present of this and I know of no better way to handle it than to send it on to you. . If you don't "/ant it you may send it back. Very truly yours,