AMERICAN APPLES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1703, 25 February 1888, Page 2

AMERICAN APPLES.

Few people are aware of the enormous extension of the American apple trade during the last thirty years. It appears from some returns before us, that apples are now sent from the United States to all parts of the world. In 1885-6, no less than 744,539 barrels of apples were exported, valued at 1,810,696d01, and these went to fiftynine different countries. The bulk of the export went to England, of course, but most of the countries of Europe took a share, and what is rery astonishing no less than 22,900 barrels came to the Australasian colonies and New Zealand during 1884 and 1885. But «&e Americans are not content with exporting fresh fruit, they also dry apples for export. During the years mentioned they sent away oyer 28,000,000 pounds weight of dried apples, and of this Australasia took over one million and a half. But this is not all. Over half a million dollars* worth of apples were canned during those two years, and even some of this came to these colonies. This gigantic trade of apples has all sprung from the small beginning made by a Scotchman named Buchanan, who, in 1845, sent five, barrels of apples to England as a speculation. We have heard a great deal lately about exporting apples to England, but would it not be more in accordance with common sense if we first directed our energies to supplying our own market properly, and so lessening, or altogether extinguishing, the export of apples to these colonies.—Exchange.