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(716) 288 - 59B9 - Ffl« LIBRARY fimSIDR OF fiOBTICQLTUH& PABTMENT 07 AORICULTUBB DAIBT AND COLD STORAGE COMMISSIONER'S BRANCH OTTAWA, CANADA Modem Methods of Packing Apples and Pears ISi < .,' BT A. McNeill. BULLETIN No. 34 Dany and Cdd Storage G>minissioner*8 Series if tlM aw. Hartlii (Mtowa,OM. ivtw vn DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DAIRY AND COLD STORAGE COMMISSIONER'S -tiANCH OTTAWA, CANADA Modern Methods of Packing Apples and Pears BT A. McNeill, Chief, Fruit Division BULLETIN No. 34 Dairy and Cold Storage Commissioner's Series Pttblltlicd hj Direction of th« Hon. Martin BnrrtU, Mlnlitcr of Agrlenlturc, Ottawa, Ont. lUNE 1913 43631—1 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. Ottawa, June 13th, 1913. To the Honourable The Minister of Agriculture. Sm I have the honour to transmit herewith the manuscript for a new bulletin entitled "Modem Methods of PackinR Apples and Pears," which has been prepared, under my direction, by Mr. A. McNeill Chief of the Fruit Division This bulletin is to some extent a revision of bulletin No. 19, by the same author, issued in 1907, but a large amount of new material has been collected, and the information and instruction which it contains is m line with the more recent developments in fruit packing. ,,.,„,. ^t oa I have the honour to recommend the pubhcation of this bulletin as No. ^4 4}{ the Dairy and Cold Storage Series. I have the honour to be, sir, Your obedient servant, J. A. RUDDICK, Dairy and Cold Storage Commissioner. 43631—2 MODERN METHODS OF PACKING APPLES AND PEARS. By A. McNeill INTRODUCTION. The improvement in public taste in the matter of fruit packages in the last few years has been very marked. There is no gainsaying the fact that great improvement has taken place in both the fruit and the fruit packages that are now offered by Canadian fruit growers. There is, however, still room for improvement, though the day is past when any reputable fruit-growers would think of marketing fruit in second-hand barrels or even in soiled and clumsily made barrels or boxes. The object of this bulletin is to enable beginners to master easily the chief features of barrel and box packing. T! " general principles involved are few, and in the case of barrel packing the art 1 1 jing the work is by no means difficult. The art of box packing is not so easily acquired. Yet with those who are not too far past the plastic period of youth, it is not too much to expect that a season's practice will make a fair box packer. It cannot be too strongly impressed that, while there are certain principles that must be definitely recognized and t^rictly adhered to, nevertheless efficiency is attained only by lonp and persistent prac- tice. No oral or written instruction can take its place. It is believed, however, that a careful study of the cuts made from photographs of packages and the diagrams illustrating details will be of great assistance to the beginner. BARRELS. In eastern Canada the greater portion of the fruit exported is likely to be shipped in barrels for many years to come. The barrel therefore (exc , -*. for certain markets in the Canadian North-west, where boxes are in deman ?till maintains, and is likely to maintain, a permanent position as a packaf ' or apples. The minimum size of a standard barrel containing 96 qaarfs ib prescribed in the Inspection and Sale Act as follows: — Between heads, 26^ inches, inside measureme.i. Head diameter, 17 inches, inside measurement. Middle diameter, 18H inches, inside measuremeui.. The barrel, in common use in Nova Scotia, is made from 28 J to 29i-inch staves. The barrel in common use in Ontario is made from 30 inch staves. Its average dimensions are as follows: — Between heads, 27^ inches. Head diameter, 17 inches. Middle diameter, 19) inches. The size varies according to the jointing of the stave, which may be )-inch, 9-16 or 5-8. The size will vary somewhat also with the width of the stave. ■ { There should be 16 staves to the barrel, but it is impossible to secure uni- formity in size without uniformity in the jointing, as well as in the nimiber of staves. 6 43631—2} The specifications for a good apple barrel call for a sound stave with 9-16 inch jointing, cut 5 to 2 inches and averaging 4 inches in width at the bilge, free from large knots or shakes. The head not less than a half-inch (hardwood 5-16) in thickness, dressed, nor more than 5-8 inch, clear and sound. The hoops should be 3-16" on the thin side and 5-16" on the other, in thickness, by 1 d-H in width, and eight in number, , In Nova Scotia the use of split hoops is quite common. These are made of birch or alder, and though they do not have the neat appearance of the cut elm hoop, they are very strong and cheap. UNEVEN STAVES. Apple barrels are for the most part manufactured from No. 2 staves. A careful measurement of a number of barrels from the best apple sections of Ontario showed that, while the general average thickness of thf stave was 6-16" vet there was sometimes in the same barrel a variation from 4-lb to 7-10 , and iA one instance at least the 4-16" stave was next to the 7-16 stave, leaving a shoulder of 3-16". , . , , ■ u . * This is a very grave defect, inasmuch as it leaves a sharp shoulder between the thin and the thick stave. When the apples are pressed into the barrel this sharp shoulder cuts into the fruit, and all the apples from the top to the bottom touching this union of the thin and thick staves wi 1 be marked more or less severely according to the difference between the thickness of the two staves. BROAD STAVES. A four-inch stave is the maximum width for a good barrel. Wide staves are a source of weakness. Should the barrels get somewhat dry, the danger is areatlv increased. The wide stave absorbs the moisture from the apple on the inside, which has a tendency to expand, and thus overcome the curvature of the stave as it is placed in the barrel. If at this time the barrel should be exposed to the heat of the sun, the tendency would be to contract the outside of the same stave. The combined effect of the moisture within and the heat of the sun without is to cause the stave to "buckle," which, of course, results in a slack barrel. SECOND-HAND BARRELS. It cannot be too strongly impressed upon apple growers that they should use no packages which are not absolutely clean and bright. It is a mistake to use second-hand barrels even for the local market. For the export market it is absolutely impossible to make a profit if second-hand barrels are used. These will be sold by themselves, and notwithstanding the quality of fruit that may be in the packages, they will, on the general market, be sold at a reduced price. BARRELLING IN THE ORCHARD. It is probable that a very large part of the fall and early winter apples will be packed for market in the orchard. Excellent work can be done there if proper provision is made for both picking and packing. Even where the packing s done in the open air, there should be a convement shelter to protect the packing bench, barrels, etc., during wet weather. It is also a labour-saving device to have this shelter large enough to serve as a temporary packing shed. Should rain threaten, it will often expedite matters to set all hands picking in orchard boxes or other convenient receptacles and haul to the packing shelter, where packing may go on under conditions that would be impossible if no shelter were p«ovided. ORCHARD PACKING BENCH. The most convenient packing bench for orchard use is made on the same general plan as the ordinary stretcher couch or like an enlarged sawhorse, with bolts where the supports cross each other. The upper points of the supports are joined by a 2 by 2 strip as long as the required table. On these pieces of timber a sheeting of stout burlap or canvas is fastened. The end supports are braced with light pieces below, against end pressure, but in such a way as not to interfere with the bench closing for convenient transportation from one part of the orchard to the other. A slight improvement is to have the strip reaching across the table joining the 2 by 2 pieces at each end and at the middle point. The burlap is then placed over these strips, and instead of being nailed securely to the 2 by 2 pieces, is kept in place by a series of eyelet holes fitting over buttons on each side. By this arrangement the burlap can be more easily slipped off the frame during rain storms and can be dried quite easily, and, of course, will last much longer. A very convenient improvised table for orchard packing can be made by taking an unused door, and nailing a three inch strip about the edge of it. This is covered with coarse canvas or similar material. This might be supported on two sawhorses of convenient height, or two barrels would make a convenient support for temporary purposes. HOME COOPER SHOP. An increasing number of large fruit-growers and co-operative associations are putting in a cooper outfit for their own use. A serviceable outfit will not cost more than $50 to $75, and any vacant outbuilding can be readily fitted up for barrel-making. Skilled workers are usually employed, but the better way is to train the ordinary help on the farm so that they can work at barrel-making during the winter months and other times when work is slack upon the farm. Any handy man with slight instructions can soon learn to make an apple barrel for all practical purposes as good as the best. There are several advantages in making the barrels at home. Stock for barrel-making can be bought early in the season and is easily stored in this shape without taking harm. The price, therefore, is usually a third less than when an order has to be placed hurriedly with a cooper. Not only is the price less, but the chances of being left without a stock of packages is minimized. Perhaps a more important inducement for making barrels at home is that labour would be employed on the farm, so as to make it possible to retain men all the year round. One of the most serious problems to-day is the labour problem, and far-seeing fruit-growers believe that they can best solve this by furnishing twelve months' work for men, instead of six months as formerly. Making barrels at home will help the fruitgrower to secure and retain a better class of labour. Plate I gives examples of convenient tools about the packing house and orchard. 'A.' Ordinary lather's hatchet, with extra nail-pulling notch near the point. The hatchet face should be ground off for use in barrel and box packing. ' B ' is a small caliper rule, used ordinarily as a billiard ball measurer, but is exceedingly convenient to carry about t<> measure apples. 'V is an ordinary machinist's steel calipers with centimeters on one side and inches on the other. 'D' is a side-cutting wire nipper, known among apple packers as a " stemmer. " This tool carmot be dispensed with in either barrel or box packing. 'E' is a series of rings, beginning at If and running up by quarter inches to three inches. ■ • •, • t* • 'F' is a gauge board such as is commonly used in packing houses. It is absolutely essential that Iwglnners especially should have some means of testing their grading for size from time to time. Plats 1. Packers' tools. Figures described in text. 9 PBBPABINQ THE BARBEL FOB PACHNQ. The b^l ».pr.P«ed for P-Jj?» •'SXr''™2t^- K'ifSSI with both heads in but no nails dnven a^y^^,^\y.er-„r^ The quarterhoops Ta difference between the two heads «s^^^^^ I ^ ,1 ti„g should be forced down firmly and ^^^ij^^ed smooth. If they are dnven direction, pointed toward the head and cimcnea sm ^^^ j^^ crossways and not clinched ^«7„ ^^^^^S/'tR end of the barrel seriously in the process of P^^^mg and pressing^ ine head-liners are should be nailed ^7*^ six or not more than eight^n^i^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ placed at right angles to the K^a*!^ "*„ "'^ ,X ^uffi^ent in a liner. Form the head. Four «'. fi^«;'„*;i«^^;^ ^e face"S n^^^ If stencilUngisdonemthe^^^^^ ^^^^ ,11 ^he par- required marks. If the stencilling is uutu nlaced, with a common lead ticulars of grade, variety packer etc should ^ Pl^ce^j ^^ ^^^ p, ^d on the pencil, not too prommently, i^«»J /^,V"°*„- , heads are used (and they are Peking plank face ^^^ down. If pdp or pape^ h^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ it. always desirable) one is no^ Pla'=^^^'?;''®XDerlv placed, fruit is lowered care- After the second row of the face has b^^^PTf^f'^^Poi'^' racking begins and is ^.Ty into the barrel After t^e second b^Jet^^^^^^^^^^ ^f the top of the continued after each ^asfccf, until the fruit ^^ ^^'^ ^ j^t^ place. Nails are barrel. The tail is now made and the {»" ^^^^Phed with liners in the same driven into this ^ into the ^^^^J'^^^^-JVfter being firmly driven down, are mamier and the first hoops on ^^^^ end after bem^^^ .J^ ^^^ ^he Si is ttrS'y trbe^^^akeffothf Storehouse or railway station. PAPER HEADS. ^\^'' i rdS., SoT^tK- S°^»y adv..,,«e in »3i™ <-y paper heads. FACING. of the barrel m rows, so as to P'esenx ue »«=» ip„v:.,„ no large spaces. Tpple touching the other as far ^^^P-^^jf^h^l^^^^ J ^h a^quSity as to The fruit chosen for facing the 'f "ei snou ^^^ ^^^^^ fairly represent the ^^^f/ "V.'^jfthe^l^^^^^^^^^^^^ upon theTace. It would also to size it would be unfair to n^y.^^^^^.'^'fthan those in the rest of the barrel, be unfair to have apples of a better colour than t nose ^ckage. This lnshort,theapplesmustbesimplyafa,r^^^^^^^^^ Presuming that the fruit, however, should be placed to tj™ ^^^^^ of the grade apples are not Paded to size further than to me^^^^^^ ^he outside definitions, it is recommended that the «™*"^'j7^^^e^hat larger. The aner rim of the barrel, and that the second row ^e somewnai b .^ ^.^^ Tele should be^finished with one hrce or our ap^^^^^^^ ^ ^^^^^^ *^S ^e rylr^ap^l^^-itKn^v^^^^^^^^^^^ Either way detracts very much from the appearance of ^^f ^f ^- . ^m have no trouble in adopting Urge or .n..lUpple8, or »PP !,» S±r>riU 6nd that he ean m.ke great u™ „, th'e° mSS ttw^Si'thrnSSSS S!rm»,mun, tr.»ver., d,.meter. 10 of the apple. If the circle lacks but half an inch of being filled, or a fair sized apple ^nll not go in, it will usually be found that by turning a few apples so that the larger diameters are in line in the circle, the space will be filled. On the contrary, if there is not room for the last apple space may be made by turning a number of the apples so that their smaller diameters come in line with the circle. Each circle on the face of the barrel should have apples in it as nearly as possible of uniform size. Any perceptible difference in size detracts from the appearance. Many packers think it worth while to carefully lay a second row of fruit over the first before the barrel is filled. A better way is to place an applo with the coloured side down over each space between the facers. A basket of apples is poured in carefully over this which finishes the work of facing. Plate 2, Fig. 1, shows a barrel with a stave pulled out for the purpose of inspection. This, of course, does not detect packages that have been fraudu- lently packed by the 'stove-pipe' or 'boot-leg' method, but is a very eflScient method for ordinary commercial packs, without the necessity of moving any of the apples. The stave is easily put back into place, and the barrel made as tight as before its removal. Usually the lower quarter hoop is not moved, as a sufficient view can be obtained without doing so. In re-nailing the quarter hoops great care should be taken to drive the nails in a slanting direction so as not to reach through into the fruit. Plate 2, Fig. 2, shows one of the best makes of baskets for orchard and packing house purposes. It is strong, convenient to handle, and can be lowered into a barrel and emptied easily without injury to the fruit. A square cornered basket is objectionable about the packing house. Plate 3 gives examples of two of the commonest facings in commercial packs, having 15 and 16 apples respectively in the outside circle, ten and eleven in the second circle, and three apples in the one case and four apples in the other in the centre. These two faces are quite suitable for all the medium sized apples of the common winter varieties. Plate 4 has examples of faces for smallor apples where the third row con- sists of fifve apples, with one in the centre. Fig. 1 illustrates a case where the apples in the centre are not large enough to admit a single apple stem down. In this case an apple is placed calyx end down. The calyx end will scarcely reach to the head of the barrel, but acts as a wedge to keep the face tight when the barrel is filled. Although perhaps there are some objections to this it is very frequently used. It is a mistake to attempt to finish a face with two apples. FILLING. Filling is now proceeded with basket by basket. In no case should a bawket or vessel of any sort be used for filling the barrels that would require the apples to fall even a few inches into the barrel. A basket such as is shown iu Plate 2, Fig. 2, can be lowered into the barrel to the surface of the fruit already in place and can be gently tilted so as to empty its contents with a minimum of damage. This point must be insisted upon. The slight bruises which apples get in falling six, eight or ten inches into a barrel may not be immediately perceptible. Nevertheless, the tissue has been injured and in the course of a few days the injured part will show it by a flattening of the surface or a dulness of colour, and it may even be the point at which decay would begin. The remark is often made that we should handle fruit like eggs. The only fault I have to find with this advice is that it is not sufficiently drastic. It is quite possible to bruise seriously the softer varieties of apples by handling that would not brer.k the shell of an egg, with this difference, of course, that if an egg is broken the injury is discovered immediately. Not so with the apple. After each basket of fruit is in place in the barrel, the grader should care- fully look over the fruit, and in almost every case there will be one or two apples 11 which should be removed. The presumption is that the grading is done rapidly, and that a different side of the apple was exposed to the grader's eye, when it WM being placed in the sorting basket. This careful inspection after the fruit is in the barrel gives an opportunity for a still further rejection of imperfect specimens. RACKING. The process of racking consists in a sharp shake from side to side with the object of settling the apples into place. Racking should be done on a solid foundation, such as a heavy plank. Even on a floor it is necessary to use a plank. It cannot be properly done upon the ground. Racking should be done with a slight, sharp jar, rather than with a swinging, throwing motion. Serious injury to the fruit may result if it is thrown from side to side. No good purpose is served by any motion that would tend to throw the apples out of place. What is wanted is a slight, quick, jar ajter each basketful is placed in the barrel. If three or four basketsful are placed in the barrel without racking no subsequent racking will bb effective and in all probability such a barrel will be slack after a long journey. The racking is a very important feature in good packing. To emphasize the necessity of good racking, I quote from the report of Mr. J. N. Chute, a Nova Scotian fruit grower of many j^ears' experience, who acted, during the winter of 1912-13, as special agent for the United Fruit Companies, Ltd. of Nova Scotia, in Great Britain. Mr. Chute says: — ' I have opened a large number of these barrels at the tail end to find out why they were slack and with only one exception I found the apples bruised to indicate that they had been headed tight enough. The causes most likely were lack of proper racking or standing too long after being headed up. I was called to look at a parcel of slack Spies. I found that the apples had evi- dently been pressed very hard, probably three or four weeks before shipment. The apples were bruised and each bruise had started to rot.' A heavy plank for racking upon should be considered essential in all cases. Good racking, as has been observed, cannot be done except upon an unclastic base. Of course in orchard packing it cannot be dispensed with, but it is equally necessary in nearly all cases where packing is done in the warehouse. A floor made of inch boards over joists placed even two feet apart, is not sufficiently solid unless the barrel should happen to be directly over a joist, which can not always be counted upon. In all cases, both in the warehouse and in the orchard, provide a heavy plank for racking purposes. MARKING HACKING PLANK. As the packing of No. I's and No. 2's is usually going on at the same time, it quite frequently occurs, with careless workmen, that a basket oi No. 2's will be put in a No. 1 barrel, or a basket of No. I's will be placed in a No. 2 barrel. It is not desirable, of course, that either of these accidents should take place. A safety device is to h.-we a different racking plank for each grade, and have it painted a prominent colour, such, for instance, as white for No. 1 and yellow for No. 2. The workmen's attention is then called definitely to the grade of the barrel which he is filling. When the barrel is full to within two or three layers of the top, a 'follower' is placed on the apples, and the packer holds this firmly in place, while he contin- ues to rack or shake the barrel. The effect of this is to make a comparatively level surface, upon which the last process or 'tailini: up 'can be done. A follower is a circular piece of plank slightly smaller in diameter than a barrel head and covered on the face with heavy felt such as is used by harness makers for pads. 43631—3 Plaib n. Fio. 1. Stake removed for Inspection. Tta 2 'kople Basket. 13 TAILING. The process of 'tailing' is the severest test of a good packer. It consists in arranging the last two or more rows of apples against which the tail head will press, so that they will reach not more than level with the top of the chime. Nearly all printed instructions in tailing a barrel advise that the apples should project above the chime, before the head is put on, to the extent of an inch or an inch and a half. I am persuaded that any projection beyond the chime of the barrel is quite unnecessary, if the racking has been properly done, as recommended in the preceding paragraphs. The reports of the Dominion Fruit Inspectors, who open many thousand barrels in the course of a year, are almost unanimous in saying that more barrels are slack from over-pressing than from any other cause. Where the projection is above the chime it is almost impossible not to injure the apples so as to offiT an entrance for rot germs.and quite apart i'rom the natural injuries to the apples by pressing, there are secondary consequences that follow by the introduction of these j^erms. Over pressing is p 1 rticularlj' objectionable in several varieties of apples that are characterized by a certain crispness, which in other material would be called brittleness, the Northern Spy being a marked example of this. It is quite possible, however, to give more pressure to a Russet than could be recommended for the more brittle varieties. As in all matters connected with apple packing, discretion must be used, suited to the various conditions under which fruit is packed and the varieties that are being dealt with. The characteristic of good tailing is to have the apples in the last two rows placed solidly and evenly, so that when finished the head will touch with the same pressure each apple exposed. This is a very difficult thing to accomplish, even where considerable time is taken in the operation, and it is only a skillful packer who can perform this operation quickly and well. It is a common fault with unskilled packers to allow one or more apples to project above the general surface. When pressure is put upon the barrel, these apples take the whole pressure first, and are frequently crushed before the head is in place. It ia advisable for young packers to open a barrel of their own packing occasionally and note the number of apples which have been touched by the head at the pressed end. If it should appear that a number of apples have not been touched by the head, and others are severely pressed, then they may rest assured that they have made a poor job of the tail. The aim should be to have equal pressure upon every apple in the last layer. This is attained by levelling the apples as they approach the top and placing a 'follower' upon this roughly levelled surface. Slifht pressure is now put upon the 'follower' and the barrel is racked so as to settle all the apples into place. Some packers go to the trouble of exerting pres- sure upon the 'follower' by means of the ordinary apple press, being careful to use very slight pressure indeed, and after racking slightly giving the screw an additional turn and then racking again. Others, however, do it very successfully by placing the 'follower' upon the riughly tailed surface and, grasping the edges of the barrel furthest from them with the hands, bringing the elbows down upon the 'follower' and exerting as much pres-sure as they can while they rack the barrel backward and forward on the racking plank. Considerable judgment is necessary to determine just how high to have the apples in the barrel before applying the follower. The aim should be to have the fairly level surface made by the process of racking under the follower, so that the apples used for making the regular tail should reach just to the top of the chime of the barrel, or perhaps slightly more in the case of some varieties. When the head is placed upon this and pressure applied to force the head into the croze, apples will be packed tight enough for export. Of course if the apples are intended for nearby markets or for immediate consumption it is much better not to press quite so heavily, so that the tail would then be slightly below the top of the chime. 43631— 3i u The preferable poeition for the apple in the last layer of the tail " to have the stem end up. The^t best is with the calyx end up. If P aPPle m placed 5^ the Me, every care should be taken that it does not project above the s,u> iieioi the general pack, even in the sUghtest degree, »'»"""«'.^ " »f *PPle on tTside is much more easily injured by pressing than if placed with «ther end up. If apples are packed for storage, rack as carefully as for »l"P°>«?* f ^.^^J^ no greater pressure need be used in heading than can be exerted by hand. Usuallv onlv a 'jumble' tail is made for storage purposes. Plate 5 (Jvis examples of good tailing, photographed !: o™ » ''""f^^'^'^i lot without modification. It will be noted that nearly "^^ t^«./TP'^^ touched by the barrel head and only in the case of one or two apples is the pressure suflBciently severe to mar their appearance. t* i« «l«n Plate 6, Fig. 1, illustrates the proper placmg of Imers as at A . It is aiso an example of careless marking, all too common in Canadian .orchards. A lead pencil cannot be depended upon to be 'plam and mdehble/ Such branding does not comply with the provisions of the Inspection and Sale Act, Part IX, ''"' ?lat76,'Flg. 2,ran'extl^e of an ordinary 'jumble' tail without a^ange- ment of any sort. This does not P'^^ent a neat appearance when open Never- theless the main objection to the ' umble' pack is the fact that the pressure com^up^n a comparatively few apples, and these few are fobably crushed mSngTquite Ukely that if the apples remain in the barrel long, the barrel wiU go slack. STEMS. Apples make the best appearance in a barrel showing the ft«™, e^^^when the barrel U opened. This is the usual way in which they are placed Great c„e should be taken to cut the stem so that it may ^°t be pressed by the head of the barrel into the flesh of the apple. Stemming should not be attempted j^th an ordinary knife. It is almost impossible to avoid cutting the skin of the apple ^tKe Snt of the knife and this injury would be as great as ?ny t^at «ould be made by the stem. For this work secure a wire side-cutting nipper, commonly known among apple men as a 'stemmer' (Plate I, D) of medium size. This do^The work rapidly and without danger of injuring '^^^^^'^^^^^^ll'^'^Z in long stemmed varieties the stem is pressed throughout the barre into the flesh so as to break the skin and admit rot spores. If one or more of the apples dSy thTwhole barrel is likely to go slack. In such a case it might be advisable to stem all the apples. LINERS. Liners should be made of the same material as the hoop, sj^ inches long and threSShs wide. They should be kept in water or at least kept thoroughly damp whut Sg used. The use of the liners cannot be too strong y recommended. Theyaddgreatlytothestrengthoftheheadanddo not detract fo™ the appear- ance when made of proper material and properly placed. Care f ouM be *ak^^^^^^ see that thev run at right angles to the grain of the head, and if the head is maoe oftwo or m^e Jieces it will be necessary that the liners « W^t the end of each niece (Plate 6, Fig 1). A very common but unsightly substitute for a regular finer is sometimes maie of smal^smooth twigs, somewhat larger in dm- Jej than « lead pencil. These are ob ectionable only on account of the appearance, as they serve the purpose as far as strengthening the barrel ,s concerned. Linera should never be omitted. A low cost machine for making liners from ordinary hoop material is now on the market. Broken hoops can be utihzed. 16 BABKCL PRESS. There are many different makes of barrel press. These have all bwn tried and the consensus of opinion seems to be that, all things considered, the most convenient and efficient type is that of the screw press. It is slightly slower m action than the lever press, but has the very great advantage of bemg very easily adjusted to the slight differences in length m the ordmary hand-made barrel. The old time lever press is now so seldom seen that it scarcely need be mentioned. It has nothing to recommend it. x rw • ik. The most desirable type of screw press is shown in Figure I. Occasionally ./here work is being done in the packing house the lower ends are fastened to a heavy block which serves as a support to the barrel in the process of heading. Of course, this would be quite unsuitable for orchard work. FlQ. 1. IRON CIRCLE PRESS HEAD. In the ordinary wooden press head the greater part of the pressure comes upon the centre of the barrel head. To force the head into the croze it is neces- sarv to press the centre of the head some distance ower. After the head is firmly fixed in the barrel, and the pressure taken off, the head, of course, springs back The apples are, therefore, subjected to fully half an inch more pressure in the centre of the barrel than is necessary if the pressure were applied near the outside of the barrel head. This can be done by means of the iron circle press head (Fieure 2.) It will be noted that the bars A and B in the diagram are made with an arch, as in D. It will be noticed also that these bars are made with a shoulder E, to meet the inside of the iron circle C; otherwise^, when the pressure comes where the two bars cross each other, there would be so great pressure on the rivets joining these to the circle that they would soon be cut off. These heads are now sometimes kept in stock by hardware men. If they cannot be procured at the hardware store, any blacksmith can readily make one. Ihe "ircle should be 14 inches in diameter, and of quarter inch bar iron. BARREL HATCHETS. Even a man with a small orchard should not attempt to get along without a common hatchet. These hatchets .are not made especially for barrel use and certain changes must be made in them before they are satisfactory ihe hammer face of the hatchet is usually deeply hatched to suit the need of the lathers and others who use them for driving nails. For working about barrels this is a Funm. Fio. 1. 1st Row, 15; 2nd Row, 10; 3rd Row, 3. Fio. 2. 1st Row, 10; 2nd Row, 11; 3rd Row, 4. 17 ffrav defect. The hoops are badly cut by this hatched face, and th» barrel head is alao uarked, even by the slightest tapping. The hammer face should be smoothed on an emery wheel or grinds* ne. The notch for pulling nails is usually placed on the inner side of the cut) .ig edge and in a position that is not convenient for barrel use. A nail pulling notch should be cut in the edge one third of an inch from the outside comer. (Plate I, A). Care should be taken in selecting a hatchet to secure one that has a notch cut in the throat for nail pulling, with the upper surface bevelled so as to go easily under the head of a nail that is already out one-eiphth of an inch or less. Only hatchets of the very best steel should be used. The pulling of naits is an important part of the use to which they will be put and for this purpose the thin edge of the point has to be used If the temper is too hard or the steel poor the outside comer is likely to be broken ofif immediately. On the other hand the steel must be tough enough so that it can be made hard to maintain a reusona good cutting edge. Discretion should be used in the weight; a medium weight is usually better than either heavy c light weight. lRONCtR.CUE T. Press Head. Fio. 2. A COOPEH S DRIVER. Occasionally apple packers use a cooper's driver made of apple wood. This, •of course, is easier on the hoops and with certain rough workmen it is perhaps absolutely necessary that a driver should be used. If, however, the workmen are careful in driving hoops with a smooth faced hatchet, much more rapid work can be done than by using the driver, and quite as effective. NAILS AND NAILING. For the heads of barrels and for liners IH inch nails are quite heavy enough. For the quarter hoops inch clout nails are preferable, although most packers use 18 thei«n«n»Ufor»UpMtoofthebMi«l. There « no excuie for nailing the second hoop on eMh end. It it ahnort certain to ipoil two or three aMe. to >uch an ext^t that decay may readUy occur, reeultini in a alack bjrrei. It u> a eommon ^^e to UM a lar«e number of naila in the head. It adds httle or nothmg to the strength of the barrel and makes the work of opening it extremely duagreeable and twT feeling of irriUtion quite frequently has an mfiuence on the buyers estimation of the fruit. Six nails in each head or eight m the cue of a three mece head, are aU that are required. The main rehance for keeping the barrel in shape is uMn the top hoops and liners. If the top hoops are properly placed and of pro^ siae, it Is pracUcaUy impossible, even without naUs, for the head to leave the croie without breaking. The weakest point, of course, is the union of the different parts of the head, and it is across thew that the hners »« placed. The nails for quarter hoops should be fully clinched with the point of the nail toward the face. Otherwise the apples wiU be seriously injured m the process of packing ""* SSS'^we should be taken in naiUng on the Uners. Nails should be driven at such an angle that the point ill just pass through the stave and reach the second hoop. If by accident a nail should be driven so that it projects upon the outside, it should be carefully drawn and re-driven properly. Do not attempt to clinch it. In all probabiUty at least a dosen human hands will come m contact with the chime of each barrel in the process of handling it from the orchard to the consumer and it is almost impossible to move the barrel carefully without running the hand around the chime. Should there be a projecting nail point the hand receives a dangerous wound. It should be made a cnminal offence to leave the point of a wire nail projecting upon the outside of the run of an apple barrel. OPENING AND CLOSING BARRELS. It is often necessary to open barreU in order to show fruit to a prospective customer or to observe whether there is a proper pressure or not. . , ^ In opening barrels one liner should be carefully removed. This can be done without breaking the liner, the nails in which should be driven back carefuUy but not necessarily completely out of the liner. Four nails of the first hoop are then pulled upon the spUced side of the hoop. The hoop is now gentler raised until the hatchet edge can he inserted between the hoop and the stave. 1 he edge of the hatchet is now inserted between the edge of the head and the staves, oppo- site the linsr that is still in place. If this is done with rearonable care the head mav 1m> removed and the fruit inspected without removing the second liner. After the inspection the fruit is placed back in position, the different pieces of the hear: put in place, and the top hoop is replaced very carefully. 1 he head is then pressed back into the croze, the top hoop being pressed down immediately to hold it in place. The head is then secured and the liner put in position as before. MARKING BARRELS. The Inspection and Sale Act makes the following marks compulsory on every closed fruit package,— (o) The name and address of the packer preceded by the words 'pa'-ked by.' (b) The variety of fruit, (c) The grade of the fruit. Figure 3 is a sample of a stencil containing all, but nothing more tha;^. the actual marks required by the Inspection and Sale Act. Other marks, however, s-e in neariy all cases added. It is desirable to be able to trace the 19 pMktnf to the m^ouui in ehwge. The foreman of the packing gang ia uiuaU> J^ ^^V ^)*^ STAR nil AM) rip John Smith IIiughtox.Ont. KING i\oi Fig 5. In figure 5 the general balance of the stencil would be grcatiy unproved by having 'Canadian Apples' in larger letters. ' Brighton ' would be, perhaps, quite as distinct and in better balance if in smaller letters. A feature of this stencil is the star as a brand, stencilled in red. This is undoubtedly good and will quite repay the extra work of having a pot of red stencil ink at hand as well as the black. Figure (i has several ()bj(;ctionable features. Altogether too much is atter ted. The ornamental marks at the outside if well done might serve a purj .se, but this is too fine a class of work to be attempted on the coarse surface of an ai)i)li! barrel, and consequently has a dauby look that is objectionable. 'Canadian Apples' should be more prominent and the words 'Grown and' omitted. The name of the company, unfortunately, is too long to be con- venient for stencil purposes, yet is it necessary that it should be used; conse- quently all other features that unnecessarily take space should be «'liminated. The phrase 'Perfection Brand' is ol)jectional)le. If the word 'Perfection' carries with it its ordinary meaning, then it is contrary to the provisions of the Inspection and Sale Act, inasmuch as it is inconsistent with No. 1 which is not a perfection grade. If it is simply a name indicating one kind of No. 1 then it is a very clumsy attempt at a designation of grade. What should be .aimed at in a brand is to give as prominently as possiMe the essential facts with refer- 43(i;U— 4J 22 eace to the fruit within in the simplest and most straightforward way. Ornamentation on a barrel head by the use of the stencil offers few opportun- ities for high art. Occasionally labels are used, with the design lithographed on heavy paper. This is seldom satisfactory. They are somewhat expensive, do not stand the exigencies of barrel shipments, are quite unsightly in the case of a barrel that has been opened, and for these, and perhaps other reasons, are not to be recom- mended. t00*0^,,^ \ \T0 1 PlSUnSCTION ^ IllSLLFLOWlilU Fig 8. STENCIL INK. Nothing detracts more from an otherwise good package than imperfect or slovenly stencil work. The requisites for good stencil work are good stencil ink, and a fairly stiff, round stencil brush. The ink should be thin enough to work freely into the fibre but not so thin, or made of such material as will cause it to 'run' under the stencil, even in the direction of the fibre of the wood. Paint manufacturers have given attention to stencil ink of late and nearly all city paint stores keep excellent qualities in different colours, a supply of which every large fruit grower should have on hand in the ordinary hermetically seuled cans. .,.,', j i A fairly good home-made substitute for stencil ink can be made by mixing lamp black and ordinary coal-oil. This should not be too thin. For use keep it in a tin can large enough to admit a stencil brush easily. In it place a fairly large sponge. The sponge will ensure the proper quantity of ink on the stencil brush at all times. . . , . . .... , •, A still better substitute is ordinary printer's mk, thmned with coal-oil. This will keep in a similar receptacle, using the sponge in all cases. Shoeblacking is occasionally used but it smudges very easily, even when dry. 23 ORADINO TO BUE IN BARRELS. In the definition of No. 1 apples the fruit has a minimum siie of 'not less than medium for the variety.' It is the al'^os* "^^^^^^l P!^»f J« °*£*?*^ apple packers to place the medium size and all above that m the one bairel. A few progressive packers, however, are adopting the plan of mafang two sues in the No. 1 grade, especially for certain varieties that vary considerably, such S the Spy! Much can be said in favour of this practice. Undoubtedly a better impression is made upon the buyer when the fruit withm a JPven packi^ is of a umform size. In addition to this there is. an economic advantage inas- much as different buyers place a different value upon size, certam dealers reauiring large apples for their trade, others reqmrmg a medium size. A difficulty ki marking presents itself where this method is used, from the fact that in the case of barrels there is no recognized mark used to distmguish size within a grade. Perhaps the better way to designate such gradmg is t« place, under the grade mark, the minimum and maximum size m inches. If, S the judgment of the packer 2H inches would be ' medium size for the vane y' that he is packing, and 3 inches the maximum of his grade of smaller apples, then mider 'No. 1' would be placed the figures '2J^3.' His larger Number I's then would be 3 inches and upward or, to allow for a certain amount of overlapping, he might make his larger grade 2f and upwards. Of course the same method couid be used for the No. 2 grade. „„„i,^ K„ An obiectic . has been made by some packers that large apples packed by themselves in barrels do not carry neariy as well as a mixture of ^edium size andlaVge apples. This, however, has not been the subject of accurate experi- ment and it is doubtful whether there is a sufficient oss on large apples packed S^ themselves to make it an offset for other considerations. Although this matter of grading to size in barrels is not a common practice, nevertheless it deserves consideration from those who wish to improve their pack. ORCHARD BOXES. The use of orchard boxes cannot be too strongly insisted upon in harvesti^ apples. Barrels or shipping boxes, when used for handlmg ^""tm the orchard, almost necessarily become soiled and a soiled package is a cheap Pack^e.^«t- withstanding the grade of fruit that may be m it. These boxes give great facih- ITes for CdUng the fruit safely and profitably. They can be filled }n the orchard aad if rain thr^tens can be quickly transported to a packing shed or an empty Sdng on thrfarm, where Jood ventilation can be secured, and vacked safely one aK the other. They preserve the fruit from injury and fa, ii..ate qmck ^"^^Thf box should be made to hold a bushel of apples without heaping. Many manufacturers of packages keep a box quite suitable for tuis purpose m stock, thev beine used largely for handling tomatoes. xu u ^ ^To facilitate stacking these boxes, a m inch slat is nailed across the bc^ at each end These slats do not interfere with filling the box or with emptymg Tt aid prevent the comer of the upper box pressing into the fruit in the lower one in case it is not placed precisely above the other. IDENTIFICATION AND INFORMATION CARDS. With the improvement in the public taste for good fruit comes the desira- bility on the part of the apple growers of meeting this demand, and inasmuch as thL value of a variety depends largely upon its se.ason and the use to which it ,s Dut it inexpedient for the apple packer not only to give the bare facts that the^ barrel coXnsTcertain variety of apples, but additional information with Pun V. Fio. 1. Tailisc. F»o. J. TaUinj. 35 reference to the specific qualities of the variety may very well be added. This additional information is now frequently placed on a separate card, and one of these cards placed in each package of fruit. It may be taken for granted by the fruit-grower that notwithstanding the improved taste and the willingness of the public to pay for better fruit, few of them know the qualities of each variety, nor the best means of keeping these varieties. It is surprising how few housewives know the value of dion to rack without a racking plank, in which case the face end is badly fouled with soil. Frequently special efforts have to be made to get the barrels under cover after they have been packed. A packed barrel that is exposed to more than the slightest shower, or that is exposed to alternate sun- shme and shower, is almost sure to go slack in a comparatively short time in addition, it loses the fresh appearance of a package that has been protected as It should be. Unfortunately the better the original finish of the package, the more senous are the injuries of exposure. The difference between a new, timshed, clean-surfaced package and one with the same grade of fruit in a weather-stained, soil-stained package, may be from 25 to 50 per cent., a sum q""^ 'arge enough to form a good profit on the whole business. Of course it is understood that as soon as the apples are packed, whether in the warehouse or in the orchard, they should be stored at once in the coolest possible place above freezing point. A caution ought to be given here against packmg in very dry barrels. If from any cause the barrels have become very dry, moisten them slightly inside and out before packing. Damp apples packed m dry barrels will very frequently cause weak staves to buckle inward. This is more likely to occur if the barrels are left exposed to the hot Bun. The want of care of the barrels after they have been packed constitutes one of the most serious losses in the apple business of Canada. NOTES. See that no nail points project either inside or outside the barrel. No packer can be considered strictly honest who has two sets of baskets, one for facers ' and the other for 'fillers.' The 'facers' must be taken from the general pack. Use the iron hoop heading block; it is much easier on the apples than the ordinary wooden press head block. Avoid pounding unnecessarily upon the heads of the barrels to drive the heading into the croze. A few gentle taps properly directed is all that is needed. Mark the name of the variety and the grade immediately in lead pencil ne^ar the chime, with the initials or number of the packer to serve as a guide when the proper stencilling is done. All permanent marks should be made with stencils and brush. Wire hoops make a very poor barrel. In all operations in connection with packing study simplicity and directness of motion. The work is light, but every motion is often repeated. Let each operation be completed with the fewest possible motions and therefore with the least possible effort. Having selected a method of work, let it be done the same way every time till the process becomes almost automatic. Bad hnhits are sometimes unconsciously acquired by packers and sorters. Do not toss the apples about on the packing table everv time you wish to select a specimen. It is quicker to select from the apples in view, and much better for the fruit. Handle the apples as little as possible. Cleanliness should be observed in every part of the work. Decayed fruit should be disposed of so as not to contaminate either the packing house or the outside premises. There should be facilities in everv packing house to en;vhlc packers to keei> their hands clean. Apples that have to be wiped present a much better appearance if this is done wiMim a few hours after tbey arr picked. It can also be done then much more quicklv. Plat« VI. Fio. 1. Liners properly placed. Fio. 2. "Jumble Tailing.' 43631—5 28 BCPACKING rOB SHIPMSNT. It is the muTersal practice in Ontario to store all winter apples loosely packv j, and repack them before shipment. The success of this plan depends upon tLe care with which the apples luive been picked and packed for storiwe. If noth'Tg more than hand pressure has been used on the barrels and if they have oeen carefully handled in spring wagons to the warehouse, there is probably no better long distance method of shipping for storage. On the other hand, it is almost the universal practice in New York State, and indeed in all the eastern winter apple producing States, to grade closely and pack so that the fruit may be sold in the original package. Even when the best work has been done it is found necessary in almost every case to open barrels and take up the slack resulting from the evaporation during storage. Where great care has been taken in the fall packing and where the storing has been properly done, this is often very slight, reqiiiring no more than a pulp head to put the barrel in proper condition for shipment. The fact that one method is universal in Canada and another in the United States, under conditions fau-ly similar, shows that there is something to be said in favor of each method. The necessity for repacking Canadian apples arises chiefly from the imperfect work done in the orchard, which, however, must be counted upon as being part of the regular order of things until a much better class of labour than is now available can be secured. The apples will not be carefully graded and, in spite of all precautions, more pressure will be used than is necessary to keep them tight until they reach the warehouse. This -over- pressure results in a slight bruise where each apple touches the other. A careful inspection will therefore show, in an overpressed barrel, six to eight barrel bruises on each apple. Some of these, of course, may be very slight, while others are serious. When these apples are repacked for shipment an additional set of bruises is made on the apples by the second pressing. On reaching their destination it is often found that the original barrel bruises have grown dark in colour and as the second set of bruises is much more pronounced than the first, owing to the fact that the tissue is somewhat broken down, it often happens that repacked apples have a very disreputable appearance after a short exposure to the air. This seriously depreciates their value and many merchants in the Northwest are row stipulating for apples in the original pack, and having an allowance made for waste. The packer can quite readily determine the percentage of waste by sorting two or three barrels of typical stock and, of course, the buyer can check the percentage by the same method. Where precautions are taken to open the barrel and take up the slack by reversing the head or using pulp heads, this method would undoubtedly give satisfaction, but would necessitate perfect confidence between buyer and seller in determining the the amount of waste. K The present Canadian method is accepted in the markets of Liverpool, London and Glasgow, and would undoubtedly show fewer ' slacks' imder ordinary conditions than an original pack. So much stress is laid upon 'slacks' in the British market that it is doubtful whether a change in the Canadian method would be profitable, certainly not until the English market is educated as to wh&'t trO cxocct) Bulletin 24 of the Dairy and Cold Storage Commissioner's series is a report of some trial shipments of cold storage apples. Incidentally this question of repacking is touched. The conclusions are: — 'Although the season (1909) was a rather unfavourable one, on account of the early deterioration of the Spies, our experience in these trials points to the possibility and the practicability of shipping carefully packed winter apples, that have been promptly cold stored, without repacking. It would be an immense advantage to the apple trade if repacking could be dispensed with.' The case is very different in the Northwest market, and enterprising shippers will do well to experiment with shipments in original packages which have been 29 rendered tight by the use of pulp heads, turning the head, or in some cases by rearranging 3 or 4 inches of the tail end and perhaps tightening with additional apples. BOXES VXBSrS BARRELS. With the development of fruit growing in Canada and the resultant com- petition between the various fruit growing areas, the question of packages has become one of singular importance, and at many meetings within recent years the advantages and disadvantages of the box and the barrel have been carefully weighed. There are conditions affecting the use of either one of these packages which render it impossible to answer categorically the question 'Which is the better package, the box or the barrel?' In British Columbia the growers have decided in favour of the box package and use no barrels. A discussion on the question, therefore, refers more particu- larly to eastern Canada where no such decision has as yet been reached. There are a number of factors which the grower must consider before adopting a package in which to market his fruit. Among these factors the following are perhaps the most important: — 1. The varieties. 2. The experience of the packers. 3. The trade to which the grower will cater. 4. The cost of packages and packing. 5. The cost of transportation. The Varieties. — There are certain varieties of apples which are adapted more particularly to the box package and others which are so coarse in texture or unattractive in colour as not to merit packing m anything but the barrel. Among the former class may be mentioned Duchess, Gravenstein, Wealthy, Fameuse, Jonathan, Mcintosh Red, Bellefleur, Spitztnberg, Spy and King. These varieties, on account of their fine texture and consequent value as dessert fruit, are more or les.s injured when packed in a barrel. This can be readily understood when it is borne in mind that when the fruit in a barrel is put under a screw press there are at least six points upon each specimen which are slightly bruised and which, therefore, render the fruit unfit for the choicest trade in dessert apples. On the other hand, such varieties as the Stark, Ben Davis, Baldwin, Wolf River, Gano, &c., coarse in texture and not high in quality, are not so well adapted to the dessert trade. Moreover, such apples are not injured so seriously by barrel packing as the more tender varieties. For this reason, therefore, varieties of coarse texture are usually more profitably handled in barrels. Experience of the Packers. — The art of barrel packing is not a difficult one to acquire. The ordinary farm labourer after some instruction and demon- stration from an experienced packer, ought to have grasped the more essential features of the operation, and with a little practice become an efficient packer, except in the matter of tailing. Box packing, however, is not so easily mastered. It is somewhat complicated in its principles and cannot be applied except after considerable practice. It will be conceded, therefore, that the difficulty of box packing and the scarcity of skilled packers in eastern Canada are features against the adoption of this package. The Trade to which the Grower Caters. — In all large cities there are two extreme classes of customers. On the one hand there are the customers anxious to obtain the very highest quality of fruit and who consider the question of price subordinate. This class comprises only a small percentage of the population of any city. Their needs can be supplied only by boxed fruit, and in spite of the small number this trade is seldom over-supplied. On the other 43631— 5J 30 hud there are the great majority of customers who want their fruit in barrels, and this market is frequently over-supplied. The matter of price with them M a first consideration and they are obliged to take a cheap grade of fruitupon which as little money as possible has been expended by the producer, lliese, of course, are two extremes and between them there are all gadations. The Cost of Packages and Packing.— There is a slight difference in cost between the barrel and the box and this difference is in favour of the former. The cost of barrels varies of course. In Ontario, during the busy season, powers often pay as high as fifty cents each for barrels, and in some parts of Quebec and Nova Scotia they may be obtained for as low as thirty cents. The best boxes cost between 14 and 18 cents. As there are a little over three boxes in a barrel, the latter package has a slight advantage. The saving may be placed at approju- mat-ly 5 cents per barrel; even this would be a senous item, particularly in tne case of cheap apples, and might be sufficient to decide a grower in favour of the The difference in cost of packing is trifling also, presuming that skilled box packers can be obtained. On the Pacific coast, packers are usually paid at the rate of 5 cents a box for packing, and in some cases— but more particularly in the Western States— as low as four cents. The cost of packing -i barrel may be placed at 15 cents. ^ r ^u * * *u«* The Cost op Transportation.— The barrel, on account of the fact that it is equal in quantity to a little more than three boxes, can be handled by one man in abo-.' the same time that he would handle half the amount of fruit in boxes. There is therefore a saving in favour of the barrel, not only in the orchard but m loading cars and steamships, handling on the docks, in auction rooms and ware- houses. This saving of labour will give an ultimate advantage of perhaps four or five cents to the barrel. BOX PACKING. The box is the imiveraal I'dkage in British Columbia and the Western States. The quality of apple so far sent from these districts has been excellent, and the fruit has sold for comparatively high figures. Eastern growers are beginning to appreciate that if they propose to cater to the high pneed trade they must pack in boxes. In luy case there has been a distinct revival of interest in box packing in easteri! Canada and it is certain that a contmually larger quantity of eastern apples vUl be packed in boxes. As noted in the preceding pages, there are many pros . J cons with reference to the box. One fact stands out as being established beyond question, namely, that if boxes are to be used at all, the packing has to be properly done, the fruit has to be above the average in quality and properly graded, and the whole package must be made attractive. Without these attributes boxes cannot be profitable in any market. , ,.^ ..... ^ , , • Undoubtedly the art of packing boxes is more difficult than that of packing barrels. Indeed, it has been said that good box packers, like poets, are born, not made. Nevertheless, experience has shown that there are many who possess the qualifitutions for good packers; all that is needed is the development of these latent qualities. • . i. • Wherever it can be obtained, personal instruction by a trained packer is desirable, but it is not absolutely essential. Any person having a deft hand and a well trained eye can follow the instructions given in this bulletin, and in time become profic ient in the art of box packing. With the best of instruction it will take at least two seasons to become thoroughly proficient in the art. The Box. The size of the Canadian apple box is 10 x 11 x 20 inches, inside measure- ment. This is obligatory for the export trade. It is reco'.nmended that the box should be made with the following specifications:— Tbc end pieces not less than f inch nor more than J inch thick; the sides not less than f inch; the top and bottom J inch thick. These dimensions cannot be changed to any great extent. If the ends are thicker, there is an unnecessary weight of wood and a clumsiness in appearance that detracts very materially from the value of the box. It is important that the sides should be heavy enough not to yield too easily to pressure in packing. If the sides are thinner than f inch, the pressure exerted by the packing of the third and fourth layers will render the first and second layers slack. On the other hand, if the sides are heavier than J inch, an unnecessary weight is given to the box. In actual practice it has been found that there can be little deviation in the thickness of the top and bottom. Three-eights inch is so thick that it is impossible to get the proper swell on top and bottom, and the fruit in the box soon goes slack. It cannot be lighter than J inch, unless the wood of which it is made is exceptionally good, as it will not be strong enough. Too frequently there is very great carelessness as to the quality of the material that is put into the box. A deficiency in the quality of the wood cannot be made up by increasing the thickness of it. If the material for the ends is not good enough for a | inch thickness, it is not good enough when it is made an inch thick. This applies with even greater force to the top aad bottom. No matter what variety of wood is used, it must be strong, elastic, straight- 31 33 grsmed, and should be entirely free from ah&kes and knots. Ma->y of the boxes used in eastern Canada have been male from sapwood, more or less dead. Of course, when there is any attempt made to give the proper swell in the packing, these covers break. This has led some inexp«>rienced packers to tiy a heavier top and bottom, wh'ch made it impossible secure the proper bulge when finished. The best available variety of woe probably white spruce, but many different kinds may be used for the end . sides, though no wood is suitable for the top and bottom except such as • .• ^„aea very great strength and elasticity. In British Columbia it is quite easy to secure lumber wide enough for the top or for the bottom in a single piece. In eastern Canada this can only be done on a large scale with imported lumber. Opinions vary as to the necessity for the top d bottom each being m one piece. Beyond a doubt the ends should be one piece. But not a few packers maintain that even though the bottom of the box should be one piece, it is desirable to have the top in two pieces. It is maintained by some very strenuously that it is possible to secure a better finish and a firmer pack by having the top in two pieces, thus giving practic- ally a double bulge. It is needless tc iay that all the timber entering into the box should be of such a kind that it can be neatly worked so as to leave a smooth siurface from the saw. Otherwise one side at least should be dressed. No wood should be used that will impart au odor to the fruit. Dove tailed boxes are not a success. Boxes made of good timber and properly nailed with wax nails do not need to be strengthened with wire or hoop-iron bands. NAILS. The proper nails to be used are four-penny rosined (or, as they are some- times called, waxed) nails. They hold better than the corrugated or the smooth, and are as easy to drive as the smooth nail. Four nails each should be used for the sides, bottom and top. Cleats. Cleats should be used on top and bottom. When nailing on the top aiiu bottom, nail through the cleat. If there should be any tendency to split the cleats soak them in water. Cleats are necessary on every nroperly packed box : 1st. To strengthen the top and bottom pieces, which are likely otherwise to split and break where the nails are driven. 2nd. To protect to some extent the bulge on the top and bottom. BOXES IN THE FLAT OR SET UP. In eastern Canada it is usual for those supplying the boxes to set them up at a very slight increase on the cost in the flat; but if they are to be shipped long distances, it would be a very great saving in freight to have them sent in the flat. It is not a difficult nor a long process to nail them together in the packing house, and they occupy so much less room that many growers consider it the preferable way to order their boxes. BOX MAKING. A simple device for nailing boxes can be placed on any ordinary bench. Pairs of cleats are nailed to the bench so as to hold the box ends in position, 20 inches apart and perpendicularly. By using such an applituice (»«« i'lute 17) a worlupan may set up from 100 to 200 boxes per day, at a cost of about IJ^ cents each, and where there are only a few thousand to make, it probably would not pay to have anything more elaborate. But with the introduction of co-operative associations, where boxes are likely to be made in large quantities to supply the needs of nearby local associations, it may be advisable to put in an automatic box-nailing machine that is r^n by gasoline or electric motor that, will manufacture one thousand to fifteen hundred boxes per day. The machine is not expensive and would soon pay for itself. WRAPPING. The trend of good practice 's towards wrapping all fruit except perhaps the lowest grade, ""^rapping has several advantagen, — 1. It servt. ^i a cushion in the case of delicate fruit. 2. It prevents rot and fungous diseases from spreading from specimen to specimen. 3. It maintains a more even temperature in the fruit. 4. It has a more finished appearance when exposed for sale. 6. It preserves the freshness in appearance and adds to the keeping qualities. There are also some disadvantages: — 1. It adds slightly to the cost of packing. 2. It pre'.ents rapid cooling in cases where the fruit is not cool at the time of packing. It may not pay to wrap cooking varieties or inferior grades, but it is essential in the case of a high-priced tender fruit, and where it is necessary to use every means to lengthen the life of the fruit. Double wrapping and the use of waxed paper is of use where extraordinary precautions are needed to preserve the good appearance and the keeping quality of the fruit. WRAPPING PAPER. For apples 64 to the box and larger, use 12 by 12 paper, 72 to 104, 11 by 11, 104 to 175, 10 by 10, and for smaller apples 9 by 9. The size most in use is 10 by 10, which is called 'Standard.' The quality of paper used for wrappers is of great importance. The white tissue, properly made, serves the purpose fa'^Iy well, calendered on one side. In many papers oflFered for wrapping, it will bo found that h» a U 13 a I PACKING TABLE. For the best and most rapid work, packing tables are absolutely essential, These should be of two sorts, as the apple business is conducted in eastern Canada. It is impossible to get packing and grading done at the same table economically. Therefore, after the apples are brought into the packing house, the first operation is grading them into four grades: Fancy, No. 1, No. 2 and Culls. This may be done by help that knows nothing of the practical part of box packing, or rather, it is the initiatory work for box packing. The grading is best done on tables lined with canvas or burlap. These tables may be placed about the wall, working from one side, or away from the wall when work may be done from both sides. Usually it is more convenient to place these tables against the wall, the back of the table being slightly raised and of a height suitable for the people who are grading. The standard height of three feet is usually regulated by a platform of planks running in front of the table, which may be raised or lowered by means of blocks to suit the height of the graders The packing table shown in Plate 7, (1) is better made so that it can be placed in the central portion of the room, where there is good light. This table should be lined with burlap and made so that the height can be easily regulated and large enough to contain three or four boxes of apples; the size in common use is three feet wide by four or five feet long. Such a packing table will accommodate two packers. The usual height of the table is three feet from the top of the table to the floor; but this height must be varied to accommodate the height of the packer. The sorting and packing tables should be lined with an extra sheet of burlap, fastened so that it can be easily taken out and shaken clean of all the debris that will inevitably gather on the tables. A slight variation of this to accommodate four packers is shown in Plate 8, Fig. 1. GRADING. The basis of rapid box packing is good, even grading. The inexperienced packer especially should have before him an even run in i)oint of size, without which it will be difficult for him to do rapid work, or indeeil do good work. Grad- ing for quick, good work in box packing is, of course, dependent largely upon size and colour. It will not do to place apples of markedly different sizes in the same box. It is desirable neither for appearance nor for rapid packing. No accurate calculation can be made upon the style of pack, and no uniformity can be secured in the layers, if the sizes are markedly different. Nevertheless, It IS impossible to secure in the apple perfect uniformity in size and shape. But this inequality in size and shape must never be so great as to offend the eye of the fastidious ;;ustomer, though it is in part upon these very slight differences of size and shape that the best qualities of a good pack depend. It must not be understood that any good packer will associate two apples differing materially in size. The really skilful packer will take the very slightly flatter apples and use these at the ends of the boxes, the longer always going towards the middle of the box. Bu* this difference in the end and the middle apples is so slight that only the practiced eye of the packer would detect it. The skilful packer will also take advantage of the slightest inequalities in shape. Very few apples are exactly symmetrical whether you cut them from stem to basin or transversely. If then the packer finds that there is a slight slackness in a row of apples which he IS packing across the box, he can easily make this perfectly tight, as a rule, by Rimpiy turning the specimens one way or the other. Of course, the opposite fault of being somewhat too crowded can be remedicfi hv the same process Thus the packer will build up a layer from end to end of the box with apples slightly smaller or flatter in the ends, with the larger and longer ones towards the middle of the box, and yet the most critical customer would not be offended by PlATl VIII. Fio. 1. Packing Bench to accommodate Four Puckers. FiQ. 2. An Ontario Apple Packing House. any difference in the specimens. It is perhaps not equally important to grade to colour, yet this adds greatly to the appearance of the finished box. If then the packer has the choice, he will put the lighter coloured apples in one box and the highly coloured apples in another. Both boxes may sell equally well, but neither would have sold so well had the apples been mixed in colour in each box. It is superfluous to say that it is presupposed that no wormy or scabby apples are permitted to go mto boxes. This would exclude a very large part of the apples in eastern orchards. It may as well be understood, once for all, that the packer who has no higher conception of the box business than to think of it as a recep- tacle for scabby or wormy apples, had better pack his apples in barrels. He wiU get a much better price for them, and will not lower the reputation of the high-class apples that should be packed exclusively in boxes. It may be well here to draw attention to another matter of observation, namely, that very few men who have been used to barrel packing ever succeed in the box trade Rougher methods that have served them in the barrel trade are unconsciously practised when ihey take up the box trade, and failure is the inevitable result Barrel packers, therefore, who do attempt the box business must divest them- selves entirely of many habits and methods of work that may not have interfered witn their being fairly successful as barrel packers. OBADINO TO COLOUR. The only qualification for colour mentioned in the Inspection and Sale Act for apples is that the fruit must be ' of good colour for the variety'. Colour IS becoming a much more important element than formerly in the growing of apples and its importance is accentuated from the fact that in different parts of Canada the amount of colour which shows upon the fruit varies in certain varieties Inasmuch, however, as apples from British Columbia on the Pacific Coast meet apples fron^ Nova Scotia on the Atlantic coast in the Northwest provinces, and are sold side by side, the system of grading to colour must be the same the Domimon over in order to do justice to growers and consumers. In parts of Ontario practically all the Mcintosh Red have at least 75% of colour and a light coloured Mcintosh is almost an exception. In some other parts of the Dominion the Mcintosh does not always colour well. Of course two standards cannot be made, and it is exceedingly important, therefore, that the fruit growers of one section should be familiar with the fruit of other parts of the Dominion with which they come in competition. Orchardists in such cases should plant only such varieties as they can grow to perfection. There are occasionally seasons when the weather conditions are such as to cause an abnormal number of light coloured apples. Of course, the only plan to be adopted is to mark the apples just as they are found and not attempt to change the grade from year to year. MECHANICAL GRADEHS. Perhaps there is no more alluring subject for optimistic inventors than mechanical apple graders. The apple is such a common thing and grading so essential a feature of good apple packing and yet so costly a process, that few inventors can resist the temptation of trying their skill on a machine that will do the work. It is regrettable, notwithstanding the scores of ma- hines that are on the market, that up to the present time none have secured anything like universal acceptance as a successful machine. New graders are appearing every year, each different and, perhaps, better than the last. Mechanical apple grading like aviation, cannot be considered a hopeless problem. There are several defects in all machines up to date. The main difficulty lies in the fact that in grading apples several qualities have to be taken into account,— size, colour, freedom from blemishes and uniformity of shape. Of course, no grader has attempted to do more than grade to size. In this respect the latest machines appear to have accomplished all that can be desired. But pr'>suming that grading to size has been done fairly well, it is still neces- sary to grade for colour and blemishes which necessitates going over the whole stock by hand either before or after it is put through the grader. With unskilled sorters it is possible that the best of the mechanical graders may now be a saving in time, but where workmen become skilled it is practically no extra work to grade for size while they are grading for blemishes, colour, &c. There is also a general impression that the grading by machine is more liable to bruise the apple than grading by hand. It is well, therefore, to proceed with caution in introducing mechanical graders. STYLE OF PACK. 'jumble' pack. The simplest method of packing a box of apples is nothing more than the barrel pack practiced with boxes. The face is placed upon the box by a method quite similar to that of facing a barrel, and the apples are then filled vii upon this with no regard for regularity. It is needless to say that such a method of packing a box would result in absolute failure. The box is not nearly so well suited to this style of packing as the barrel, and consequently it is more difficult to get a tight package, and even if a tight package could be obtained in this way it is not acceptable to the customer. A number of inexperienced packers in eastern Canada have adopted this method of packing as an improvement upon barrel packing, and there are a few British Columbia packers who are putting up their 'Thirds' in this style. Such box packing is a mistake for any grade. It is infinitely better to use the barrel for that style of packing and for No. 3 grade. The package is cheaper and apples can be better packed in barrels than in boxes, This style of pack has no good features and should be universp'ly condenmed. PACKING IN TIERS. One great advantage of boxes is that close distinctions in size and colour are easily made. Customers then can secure exactly what they wish wth reference to these two qualities. The number of apples in a box can be determined almost instantly by the style of the pack, but this number should always be placed on the end of the bo'X by the packer, when he completes his work. Apples, even of the same variety and upon the same tree, vary so much in shape that it is quite possible to get an almost endless variety of packs, all fairly regular. Some practised packers claim to distinguish sixty different styles of pack. This is quite possible, if we count not only the different varieties of pack, but also the combinations of these varieties in the different layers of the box. It is not necessary, however, to be familiar with so many packs in order to be successful as a box packer. Familiarity with half a dozen or less will enable an intelligent person to pack successfully all common varieties, and having learned to use these he will have little difficulty in using slight modifications to accommodate any odd shape or size that may present itself. From the smallest Pomme Grise that shoula be packed, to the largest Alexander, there are between 35 and 40 different sizes, each of which requires at least a modification in the pack. But let the beginner in box packing take heart. The very small apples and the very large ones are seldom packed. In the table which follows, giving an analysis of the packing, only 25 different fiizes are recognized, and the packers of Washington and Oregon recognize only 19. 40 All packs in actual use are but modifications of two ireneral tvoes the S that tEti^ffi w "^ '^ r^ ^^^^ 'i^'^ '« :^^i^ by *^« ««« °f the appK so that there wi 1 be 3, 4 or 5 layers and rows in the box. Of course, these can be modified again by packing with the stem up or down, towards he^deTf ge^rrm?nS?f ?h*fcL^"b^ t^^'^"- ^^^^^ ^^^ ehangera^n^tt The diagonal packs are made by starting the first layer of anoles with spaces between them. The apples of the second layer fit into these Tp^es and additional layers are added till the box is full. ^ ' Fio. 8. STRAIGHT PACK. No. in Box, 45. 3 Layers all packed the same. thP«Ti.!.'*„'"^r*^u'^'"*,PPu®^*'"^.P*°''^'^ *^ «^°«^ above; all the layers being the same, and each apple being directly over the one below it. ^ ♦v,„* ^-^u/'tl® P<^sf'^«. exception of the three tier straight pack, all the aoDles Dack %h?'. P- tf^ in straight packs can be packed in the 2-2 or 2-3 diSS fheJ"usJpvfnff *"' P'"'^1 ^^""^ ^" an inherent weakness that should preclude over anothpr ?n I°"P«^'.^ P"'P«fes. From the fact that each apple is directly or vipW^ fffl '*™*^^* P^*'' '^ "'^^ *PP*« "^ a»y particular place decays Toos^enl f hlVh^ P'^T'^ °^u°*^^!: ^PP'*'" °» ^'^''b «>de of it, this immediately biHtv of nn^ ^'f Pf"^' '° *^* wherever there is a probability, or even a possi- Inth;^Lrnf ?K^^^-'^^ ^?P'^ appearing, the straight pack should be avoided. iV.lfT °^ ^^^ diagonal packs the softening of one apple endangers the tight TtheltraLStntTsS f.^ ^' " "^^^W^ contingency. AnothS weakK ««i .?„ • ufi J^* • '^ ***** ***^ pressure of the covers is not as evenly distributed th. Hiff '^^"^ ^"".r" "^ '""'^ "^'^'y *° °^'-"^- The begimier will do wdllo note late^S'Zt '"^ l^^ t""*"'l°^ **J.° *^^ P*'^'^^ ^"^^ ^ill readily see how much nacks ?n nt^!?n^' P*'¥ "^, **'"° ^^'^ «*'•**«'** P''^*'^- Nevertheless the straight «n^^K 1''"' '• ^^1°^ .*PP'^^ ^'•^ exceedingly attractive for exhibition purposes s?ecimertheTcrt*'"*''/r ^^""^'l °^ ^^^^^ *'^*^'*« P'*^« ^^^ anyTartSl; ton S lh7 f b%"!u'* *° aavantage. Of course, it will be understood, Sannot X it-l^^^T °^-l^^ straight pack, that although it looks simpler it more accurate ^^^ ^' "'^'°"*'b ^ ***« K^'^'ding for size has to be much is thJnnmSf.Ff'''' '^ *''° •'o^d^mned for general use. The objection to this indeed /hi«nhlf*^^ "^''"T *^* ^PP**' ^'^^^ **>« «de of the box is exposed, indeed, this objection may also be taken when the face is exposed. Inasmuch ZX fhZ"i^^ ^" such apples can be packed quite as conveniently in th?2-3 pack, there seems to be no good reason for using the offset. tothinnTvL'^liHT''^'' *^^* ^? P°*'*'''« assertion can be made with reference to the packs used, I may state that an expert in packing was obliged at a demon- S^for'thrbof "Vr'* ^ "f}'^^ a^oo8eWt,*in order rgSt*a'p™?e; t^IBa! lu , This was m the case of a small-sized apple. It might be SdtatC * °'' °*^''' " "^'^ •" ^'^'^ """^ P^'^' P^'^^ing to ve™ great 41 PACKING THE SAME SIZE IN DIFFERENT STYLES. It is often possible to pack a certain size more than one way, and have the box in each case look equally full and appear equally tight. It will usually be found that one of these ways will take a few less apples than the other. In such cases, choose the pack that will take the most apples. This is not advised for the sole purpose of giving the purchaser the full quantity of fruit but to ensure good carrying qualities. If one style of prck takes 172 apples and another 176 of the same size, which is quite possible, it is certain that in the 172 pack there is space unfilled in the box for four apples. This space in the case of skilful packing may be so evenly distributed throughout the box that the difference in the size of individual spaces between the different styles of pack will not be noticeable. If the fruit does not stay long in the box, all the styles of pack may come out in good condition. But if the conditions are not favouiablc, and the fruit is subject to excessive evaporation and rough handling, the stylu with the most apples will stand up much longer than the other. After the apples have shrunk slightly, a very little shaking, such as would be experienced in passing over rough tracks or in shunting cars, will cause the apples in boxes with the fewer specimens to adjust themselves into the spaces, and then the box becomes decidedly slack, and in due course wasty. (a) 1st and 3rd Row (b) 2nd and 4tli Rows. Fio. 9. OFFSET PACK. 4 Layers 84 Apples. TIERS TO DESIGNATE SIZE. For the designation of size the term 'tiers' is too indefinite for commercial purposes. In a general way the term '3 tier apples' would embrace all the largest apples in commerce; 4 tiers would include tHe medium size, and 5 tiers the small apples. The number of apples which a box contains is very easily determined by the kind of pack used. There seems to be no reason, therefore, 42 why the number of apples in a Iwx should not always be substituted for tiers Indeed, this is getting to be the common practice, and although few boxes are sent out without the 'tier' designation, it would appear that it is useless when the number of apples is given, and it is strongly to be recommended that the numl)er of apples should be given in every case. It can be placed upon the box quite as cunvemently as the word 'tier,' and it indicates with perfect distinctness the size of the apple. The following table will be more interesting as an analvsis of the different packs tlian as actual assistance in learning the art of packing. Nevertheless it has Its value and will well repay careful perusal, and the person who aspires to become expert must practice with the different sized apples. The table will l>e of service to him in suggesting the particular stvle of pack to adopt, and also as a ready ref( ronce to the number of apples in each pack 2-i^-» 2-1-4-5. 2-1-5-5. 2-1 Pack. 36 apples in the box. .41 •' 45 " .3 tior. . Pai'k on side. 2-2-3-4. 2-2-4-4. 2-2-4-5 2-2-5-5. 2-2-5-6. 2-2-6-6. 2-2-6-7 2-2-7-7 2-2-7 a 2-2-8-8 2-2 Poet. 56 apples in tho box. ,64 •• 72 •■ m " m " . se 104 112 120 128 3 J tier. .Pack on mil. 4 tier. . Pack on sjide. 2-3 Piuk. I'-J-f I»2 »»>J>les to the box. »-a-5-5 2-3 5 « 2-3-6-6 2 .i^fl-T 2 ;« 7 7 2-3-7 « 2 3-8-8 2 iS«-9 2-»«-» 125 1.38 150 1()3 175 ISH apples in tfw Imji. 200 ■• 213 " 225 •• .4 tier. .Paok on I'nd. 4J tier. Pack on end. 5 tier. Pack on side. 3 Tier Slraiohl Park. 45 «pplri! to the box. .54 •■ 3 tier. Park on side. 3 wi^' , 'A deep, 5 long , . 3 wi* . /, diep, 6 lonir PlatosS .^.4 Wnive wimples of nearly all the paeks mention.d in tlii» table. ft will |)o fK/^ed hn«- readily the number of .apples in a l)<)x can be deter- mined l.v the form of pa.-k. As the packer acquires skill, lie will associate the number <.f apr>l<'.-< «ith tl-/ pack, so that bv .^implv looking at the top of the box he will without calculution. A-.nxno the number of apples in (he box, providing there has been no irr.'gularity w. *i^ pack. This numt)er .-hould alwavs be stamped upon the ' .^'-.m Commercial Packs. PiAn X. Commercial Packs. 45 ^m^^s-sshfs^B Fio. 10. How to start a "2-2" Diagoiuil Pack. Fro. 1 1 . Method of start ing a "3-2" DUgonal Pack. (6) l8t and 3rd Layers. DIAGONAL •'2 2'' Pack. i Layers 88 Apples. The art of packing can only be learned by packing. It reouires a deft hnnH and a well trained eye, so that slight diflferences of sha^pe andTe may t recog- niied and utiliied to fill the box, not only full of apples, but so tightly packed that the box may be put on end with the lid off, and yet no apples fall out. This is rather a high standard, but one that should be aimed at by all who expect to become proficient in the art. (a) Ut and 3rd Layers. Y Y X Y Y ) V A A Jv Jv Jv J (b) 2nd and 4th Layers. Fio. 13. DIAGONAL. "2-2" Pack. K Layers— M Apples. Figures 10 and 11, illustrate the methods of starting the packing of the 2-2 and the 3-2 diagonal pack. In the 2-2 pack the first apple is placed in the right hand lower comer of the box, the second apple then dividing evenly the space between the first apple and the other side of the box. These two apples are held in position by the left hand, while the third and fourth apples are placed in position as indicated in the diagram. If the space is not evenly divided by the second apple the alignment will not be correct for the rest of the box. Having once secured the correct alignment by the proper placing of the first four apples, the diagonal row is completed by putting the fifth and sixth apples in place, after which the rows are placed diagonally until the box is filled. Similarly in the 3-2 pack. After the first and second apples are placed in the lower comers of the box, the third apple must evenly divide the space between the first and second, and must be held in position while the fourth and fifth apples are put in place. The sixth apple will now complete the first diagonal row, and the seventh, eight and ninth the second after which the box will proceed regularly to the end. The following rules for guiding the packer in determining the pack, will be of use also to the beginner: — 1. If three apples placed side by side across the end of the box will not go in, the pack is 2-1. 47 2. If three apples placed side by side across the end of the box will fit tight the pack is straight 3. 3. If three apples placed side by side across the end of t (le box fit loosely and a fourth will not go in, the pack is 2-2. 4. If four apples placed side by side across the end of the box fit loosely and the fifth will not go in, the pack is 2-3. These rules are only useful in a general way. The packer will find many little devices that assist him, but which can be learned only by actual experience. The beginner will note that the 2-2 pack or the 2-3 pack cover nearly all the commercial sizes, and once skill is acquired in the ordinary sizes of apples (those ranging from 80 to 175) it is only a matter of practice to be able to deal with the larger sizes of apples and the irregular shaped apples. It will be readily understood that a long apple like the Belleflower and a flat apple such as the Mann, though they may be the same in diameter, would require altogether different treatment in packing. One in all probability would be packed on its end, the other on its side. Certain sizes of apples will pack so that the apples in a row, taking the length of the box, will each touch the other. A somewhat different size will be packed so that there may be a small space between each apple in the longi- tudinal row. This is a device by which the proper height is established. It is also one of the expedients for securing the bulge in the box, the apples being packed closer together at the centre. In the packs having 3 rows and 3 layers or 5 rows and 5 layers the beginner should be warned to start with 2 apples in the case of the 3 layer pack or 3 apples in the case of the 2-3 pack. If the pack is begun with one .apple in the 3 layer or with two apples in the 5 tier pack, then in many packs there would be one less apple than if the first row were begun with two apples in the 2-1 pack or with three apples in the 3-2 pack. (a) 1st, 3rd and 5th Layers. (fc) 2nd and 4th Layers. Fio. 14.— "3-2" Pack. 5 Layers 188 Apples. 48 This is made apparent in Figure 14. Beginning with three apples, the first, thirt and fifth layers are represented in (o) and the second and fourth layers in (6), and the box will contain 188 apples. If, however, the pack is begun with two appies as at (6) then the first, third and fifth layers will be represented by (6) and the second and fourth by (a). In this case the pack will hold 187 apples. Of course the preferable method is the first, as it has fewer large spaces that detract materially from the appearance and permanency of the pack. DIFFERENCE IN SHAPE. To bring home more forcibly the difference of shape in the same varieties, 25 specimens of eight common varieties were carefully measured for the maximum and minimum transverse diameter and for the diameter from the stem to the calyx. The results are given in the table below. It will be noted that in an apple so regular as the Mann there is still a difference of a quarter of an inch and out of the 200 apples measured only ten approach a perfect circle. It will readily be seen how important it is for the young packer to perceive these differences and make use of them in order to keep the apples tight and in align- ment. Another point may be noted. Few young packers appreciate how much less the longitudinal diameter is than the transverse. Advantage is taken of this to lower or increase the height of the apples in the box, by turning them on their side or on their end, and thus determine whether it will be a side pack or an end pack. Specimen. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7., 8., 9. 10. II.. 12.. 13.. 14.. IS 10.. 17 . IN.. 19 . 20.. 21., 22.. 23.. 24.. 2S.. Average. SUK. TRANSVIRgC. Max. Inch. Hin. Inch. Longi- tudinal Inch. 2-75 2-75 2-68 2-62 2-50 2-75 202 2-62 2-50 2'S6 2 50 2-56 2-50 202 202 2-43 2-60 2-37 2-43 2-50 2 50 2-50 2-43 2-37 202 2-75 202 2-50 250 2-37 202 2-43 2-60 2-37 2 50 2-37 2-50 2-37 250 2-62 2 31 2 37 2-31 2-43 2-43 2 43 2'50 2'2S 2'2S 2-37 2-25 2-37 2-37 2' 12 206 2-43 212 237 200 212 200 212 212 212 2-37 200 2 on 200 206 2- 12 212 2' 18 200 1-87 206 Specimen. 256 2'4S 2' 14 1 2 3 4 : 6 I::::::-::} 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 10 17 18 ' 19 20 1 21 ] 22 23 ! 24 25 ! Average Mann. Trans viBsi. Ha>. Inch. 300 2-75 300 3'OU 300 2-87 2-93 2-87 300 300 2-81 2-87 2-93 2-87 300 2-87 202 2 02 300 2-87 2-68 2-87 2-87 2-62 2-75 2-87 Min. Inch. 2-87 2-68 2-87 2-87 300 2-87 2-75 2-62 2-81 2-87 202 2-75 2-81 2-75 2-68 2-62 2'SO 2-60 2-87 2-75 2-62 2-75 2-75 256 2-56 Longi- tudinal Inch. 2-31 300 2-25 2-31 2-37 237 2-2S 212 2-37 2-37 2-25 2'50 2-31 2-50 2-31 218 200 200 2' 18 2 25 1-93 2-25 2' 18 200 200 2-73 2-26 Plah XI. Tia.U Fio.2. Wrapping Applet. 60 Stabk. Phoxnix. Specimen. Trans VCRBC. Longi- tudinal Inch. Specimen. Thanbvbbu. Longi- tudinal Inch. Max. Inch. Min. Inch. Max. Inch. Min. Inch. 3-28 3-25 3-12 3-25 3-12 3-00 3-00 3-00 3-00 2-81 3-06 3-12 2-81 3-12 3-12 3-06 3-00 3-12 3-00 3-00 2-87 3-06 3-00 300 3-00 3-00 3-00 3-00 2-75 2-75 2-87 2-75 2-81 3-00 2-62 2-87 3-00 2-81 2-75 300 2-87 2-87 2-75 2-87 2-75 2-62 2-78 2-87 2-37 2-80 2-37 2-50 2-50 2-62 2-50 2-75 2-50 2-62 2-62 2-37 2-80 2-78 2-43 2-31 2-80 2-62 243 256 2-25 1 3-50 3-25 3-62 3-25 3-06 3-00 3- 12 3-00 2-93 3-00 3-06 2-87 3-00 3-00 3- 12 2-87 2-87 3-00 3-00 3-06 2-78 3-18 2-78 2-78 300 3-43 3-12 3-06 3-06 293 2-78 2-93 3-00 2-78 2-75 2-87 2-56 2-75 2-75 2-87 2-87 262 2-75 2-75 2-81 2-75 3-62 2-62 2-50 2-87 2-76 2 2-62 3 2-80 4 2-75 5 2-56 6 2-43 7 2-80 8 2-50 9 2-62 10 2-37 U . . 2-28 12 ... 2-37 13 ... 2-28 14 2-31 15 2-43 16 2-37 17 2-37 18 2-50 19 2-25 20 20 2-12 21 21 22 ... 2-12 22 2-28 23 3-00 2-87 2-81 ' 275 2-75 ' 2-62 23 2-28 24 24 25 2-28 28 2-25 Average 303 1 2 86 2-54 Average — 3-04 2-87 2-40 ■ . GOLDIN RCSBIT. Srr. Specimoi. 1. 2. S. 4. 8. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 10. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. Longi- tudinal Inch . THAN8VII18C. Specimen. -87 2- -75 2- -75 2- -75 2- ■62 2- -50 2- -75 2- ■75 2- -62 2- ■75 2- ■62 2- ■62 2- ■75 2- ■56 2- ■80 2- ■62 2- ■62 2^ ■50 2- ■50 2- -50 2- 80 2- ■80 2- -62 2- -50 2- -62 2 2-37 2 25 231 212 206 206 2 31 2-37 2 25 2 25 225 225 2-50 206 212 2 31 225 2-25 237 212 206 225 2 25 212 2 06 9. 10. U. 12 13 14 15 16. 17 18 19 20 21. 22. 23 24 25. Longi- Inch. Mu. Min. Inch. Inch. 313 3-00 2-87 3 25 3-12 3-78 3 37 3-31 3-87 3 31 3-25 3-43 3 06 300 2-80 3 12 2-87 2-78 3 12 287 2-62 3 06 243 2-37 3 00 2^81 2-62 3 00 287 256 3 00 287 237 3 06 287 2-80 3 12 293 2-50 3 00 293 2-28 2 75 275 2-31 2 87 281 2-37 2 03 281 2-31 3 00 287 2-68 3 00 293 2-50 2 93 275 237 2 81 275 2 25 2 81 275 2-31 2 87 268 2-BQ 2 87 275 2-50 2 32 262 2-31 Average. 2-75 2-62 2-23 I Avernge. 3-99 388 3-80 PlATl XII. Fio. 1. Fio. 2. Wrapping Apples. 62 Baldwin. « 1 Bin DAYn. Specimen Transtibsi. Longi- tudinal Inch. Specimen. Tbahbtbbm. Longi- tudinal Inch. Max. inch. Min. inch. Max. inch. Hin. inch. i:::::::::: \ 1:::::::::: 9 6 ! 7 [ 8 ^ 9 10 11 3-29 3-00 3-00 2-93 3-00 293 2-75 2.7.1 2-90 2-90 2-29 2-37 2-12 2-31 2-12 2-37 2-00 2-90 2-29 2-37 2-29 231 2-90 2-37 2-29 2-90 2-29 2-29 2-37 2-29 2-29 2 29 2-25 1 3-00 3-06 300 3-00 2-87 2-87 3-06 306 2-79 300 3-00 2-87 2-06 2-87 2-81 2-12 2-79 2-79 2-87 2-79 2-87 2-62 2-87 2-79 2-79 2-9S 300 2-93 2-93 2-75 2-68 2-87 2-87 2-62 2-81 2-87 2-79 2-93 2-79 2-76 2-87 2-96 2-62 2-79 2-62 2-76 2-56 2-87 2 62 2-62 2-50 2 .:: 2-37 3 2-90 4 2-90 2-62 2-90 2-62 290 2-79 2-79 2-87 ! 2-79 2-79 2-50 2-79 ' 2-62 2-79 1 2-62 2-75 1 2-62 2-87 2-87 2-87 2-62 2-81 2-79 2-79 2-79 2-87 2-79 2-93 2-93 2-75 2-79 2-79 2-62 2-87 2-79 2-79 2-62 2-87 2-75 2-79 2-62 2-68 2-62 5 2-7S 6 :::::::: 2-43 7 2-62 8 2-31 9 2-37 10 2-63 11 2-68 12 12 2-90 s; 13 13 2-90 [' 14 14 2-90 i 19.::::.:.... 19 2-56 * 16 16 2-60 i 17 17 2-25 6 18 18 2-6S i 19 19 2-37 (i 20 20 2-50 21 21 2-90 22 22 2-90 23:::::.:.:.: 23 24 29 2-43 24 2-25 : 25 2-25 Average 2-82 2-71 2-31 Average 2-89 2-77 2-47 CHANGING STYLE OF PACK. A properly packed box has no change in the style of pack from top to bottom. Quite frequently there is a strong temptation on the part of the beginner to secure the proper height by changing from a pack on end to one on the side, returning perhaps to the original pack for the top layer. While there is no change, except simply placing the apple on its side, it is not a serious matter, though it is a confession of incompetency on the part of the packer, inasmuch as all ordinary commercial apples may be packed with absolute regularity. If, however, *' type of pack is changed so that a 2-2 layer is placed upon a 2-3 layer the consequences are extremely serious. When packed in this way one layer rests almost of necessity upon another irregularly and not infrequently the cheek of one apple comes upon the stem of another. In any case, when pressure is put upon the apple, since this pressure is not borne regularly by all the apples, a few at least are sure to be seriously injured. Many merchants consider this so serious a defect that they feel justified in throwing out all boxes as culls that are discovered to be packed irregularly, and it is a question whether it is not a violation of the Inspection and Sale Act, under the clause which stipulates that all apples must be 'properly packed.' Apples so packed are sure to receive unnecessary injury and thus cannot be said to be properly packed. Pun xm. no. 1. Fio.2. Wrapping Apple*. 54 PACKING ONE OR SEVERAIi BOXES AT THE SAME TIME. It is becuming much more common among expert packers to grade the apples fairly carefully in the orchard to exclude all culls and No. 2 fniit, and then to place the No. 1 fruit in boxes at the right hand of the packer (presuming, of course, that he is a right-handed packer). The packer then has two, or in some cases even four, empty boxes before him. He picks up the apples just as they come, without any regard whatever to size, and places each in one of the boxes according to size, thus grading as he packs. Undoubtedly with expert packers this is the preferable way. It saves handling the fruit and dispenses with considerable sorting before the apples come to the packer's bench. The other method, of course, is where apples are placed upon the packing table and the packer proceeds to pack a single box, picking out from the heap the proper grade for size is he proceeds. Having finished a box of one size, he then proceeds to pack the sizes that are left. It can be readily seen that the packer has to do considerable sorting as he selects his fruit for a particular box, and in the process must shove the apples about more or less. f i Plate 15, Fig. 2, shows an arrangement where a packer is packing into several boxes. In such cases it is better to have the packing bench against the wall and on a slope, with about six feet for each packer. The bench, of course, slopes at a convenient angle from the wall, and the paper is placed on a shelf just above the boxes. One objection to this arrangement is the difficulty of getting light. It weld be bettep, in cases where this method of packing is adopted, to have the packing room on the southeast side of the building, if possible, insulated from the store room, and provided with a window for each packer. THE WRAPPING OF AN APPLE. In wrapping an apple it is not at all probable that any two packers will use exactly the same motions. They should, however, secure the same result; that is, a square of paper placed neatly around the apple so that in the main the surface will appear smooth and, while creabes must be made towards the upper end or the tail of the wrap, these creases are evenly distributed, so that each specimen leaves the hand of the wrapper t'ghtly wrapped, with neat folds, the main twist of the paper being over the stem of the apple. It should be the aim of the packer to acquire a set of motions that he will use uniformly throughout his work. There must be one particular way in which he can do it better than in any other way, and it is desirable that he should practice this until it becomes automatic. Below are given a number of photographs of an expert wrapper, taken at critical points in the operation. Although these positions from Plate 11 to Plate 14 are described at length, it will be readily understood that one motion follows the other so rapidly that the eye cannot follow it in actual practice. As a matter of fact, the eight positions blond into eac'i other so imperceptibly and rapitUy that an expert packer appears simply to be picking up apples with his right hand and paper with his left, and placing the wrapped apples in the box. Plate 1 1 , Fig. 1 . The packer stands in front of the box which is being packed. The right hand reaches for the fruit at the same time as the left hand picks up the paper from the stand or bracket. In order to facilitate the picking up of the paper, the thumb or forefinger of the packer wears a cot or finger-stall of rubber. Plate 11, Fig. 2. The packer is shown standing at one side of the box in order that the movements of his hands may be more clear. In the actual oper- ation of packing he would, of course, remain facing the box. In this plate the apple is shown placed against the sheet of paper, the latter being .still held in the left hand. In order to make speed the apple is often tossed or dropped on to PlATlXIV. Fio.!l. ( ^^^^^^ -^^nmmgll^^jl^ll^ 1 1 1 n^^d 1 ~i- \ - ■'I ..^^ I ^ . J Fip. 2. Wrapping Apples. with the paper up the f„ >ide of the Kit ' ™ ""*" ™»<"l'ly |J.te^''^f„pSrv'rn?„frLrS„re^„^^^^^^^^^ m j..^pl.oe .„ the bo,, being preyed fi™,y dS'.jLL'S.r.E^td eS .ppi"'« J'*^'d^l'e?dTh.%.T;sr/,lt.'"d"„.l*''' '-"-' "^"'- ""- THE 'bulge' in box PACKING. the e,ji.t/„, thXirborri, ti°HX^:Aii 'i-ss-s °„{ remov^" F» LL'tto" 'Zn^""", °' """'" "'J "» ''<•« » well a» the lop .how how the ^.Se'tLS b^t'JL^/SiV^^rtXiSaeXlt S apple to the unvaS dimensions of the W X'^h'^'^T*^''*" ^K'''' ?^ **»« in size and.hTpeo75L iSdnaVite Th'^'.^H-r " "» •"«■" -^ight evaporahon will by lessening the sue of the specimens, render the whole ^ckage n^nth?^ P*^?if '"**1 * ^"i***' '?°*l P^^^^K the thin elastic coveVdo^ SfkVn if ^rP..f T^l^' f '?/*"' " '"■*'"«•** *" •^«' »P«° the fruit sufficient to keep It in place. As the fruit evaporates, the elasticity of the wood follows the fruit, always keeping it tight as packed. It may be well to note here that £^r"*'TK?'^ ?"•"?* '>*'/^''*n."> the selection of tops and bottoms of apple tn ,^i»r«K u^^A?^ must be thin enough to bend easily and yet strong enough retaSs sho **'"*^ "^^'"^ '* receives between the packer's Ijench and the BOX PRESS. After the packing is completed, the cover must be carefully nailed in position. tiuK 'f fK "l.""?**^- P'^S' an accessory too often thought unnecessary. The staff of the Fruit Division has been using a press illustrated in Plate 17. This w"nS„in /^*'"^''\V^u°y?1.^ ^'^"^y ^*h tools, with such assistance as may be obtained at any blacksmith's shop. ^ In putting on the cover drive all nails through the cleats. Three or four nails in each end are quite sufficient. PACKING BOXES. o Ai ^^here^er possible the marks upon the end of a box should be printed with a (he. These plates are not expensive and marking is done much more neatly fn „ ,L t^? ""'''. ?"*• .^ ' *'''*^" ^"'" "" «=«Pyrighted trade mark can be used in a die that would be entirely impossible if a stencil were used. RUBBER STAMPS. «f ««,?^'7^' ?["'*'*''■ '''''«"1J have stamps for box marking. There should also be stamps for the number of apples in the box. These are not so numerous but that a separate stamp can be afforded for each number. There should also oe stamps for the packer s number. EXTRANEOrs MATTER IN A BOX. Even five or six years ago it was not uncommon to find Iwxes entered f6r prizes at exhibitions in eastern Canada where large openings were filled with excelsior, paper or some similar material. Needless to say, this is not onlv OfTnnlTT. •"* "^'.'"'n ^"'irhfy ^ box immediately from an/ particular contest Ut course. It IS not allowable for commercial purposes, and only the most inex- pnenced would now think of resorting to such a practice. NeverTheless it Lt^f n<;»^«"'^«ary to draw attention to an abuse that was at one time all loo fn^^?,^l ' "Tif "'j'"^'»? ^'" apply to the use of corrugated paper board in lining boxes They do it is true, save the apples somewhat but customers generally resent the use of any kind of 'fillers' except the lining and wrappfng WAREHOUSE PPL'ANCES. u^,jy%l^'f'^^> an^.3. illustrates two sides of a British Columbia fruit ware- c„r« nt ♦! ""f de ivered .at one si.ie, and can be conveniently loaded on cars at the opposite side. Plate 19, Figs. 1 and 2, shows the Perfection box truck, a verv convenient appliance for the apple warehouse. It is made with a clutch, shown o^n in PlATl XVI. ^< t« '^^^ Flo. 1. Common Commercial Pfeeki. f f ^ f r r r , Fio. 2. Side removed to show Bulge. Fio. 3. Side removed to show Tier Alignment. PunXVU. BoiFtaM. Ki— f'*?.i^ illiwtrates a press made by a member of the Fruit Division statf, with the anistanee rf a ..if^ .? ' ?°. °" '*®° '°^"* *" '^'^'^ admirably, though much more elaborate nailiiu presses are upon ine market. ■•• avaiiuaary cromneces sui?portea Dy tbe legs. S. A enw»-pieco a clutches runmng through the base of the table to the citMs-piece (7). .. .. ^„.„. ..^ „„ „„„ rh^Uhl^ ViJ"?^ f° *••■" bottom of t^e frame by a hii«e. ». Rods running from foot lever to the iron clutches. 10 SipmJsiaTnw placed between the mpvabTe croes-piece (7) and the stationary crossH)iece itw .-ilifc J_ }?"t *uK?-?7"*?°*J' **.««• I* ''"'' "°' P«*e " Pl«»d on (8) so aa to engage this l^w1^2^!dS ??n I^5«but hght spiral jprmg that aasista in raising the lever wl/en disS^SeJlrom saw-tooth edge (11). 13. A shaUow naU box. 14. lach strips upon which the box restsTioSat when ^^^ '!i,'"?!*t*J*iJ*!?" "?'?. ^' *°P *»•«" wiU be room foTthe bulge below. iTAlajTow^p nailed on the back of the bench base to serve aa a niide for placing the boa. ™»"uw oinp Tbe parts at the press 2, 3, 4, and 6 are inch stuff, 3 inohea wide, dreand. 61 iit^ot^uyt^^sfLdt^^^l^^r. ^ * ¥*"^« arrangement similar to •long both 8ide«, ^that bariKd tox« J«n"S*i^ !f,^ ^'^^ warehouse and one man without the SawbSkTf hS"v? m^ '""'"^ ^^^^ "^'^^ ">d by It iaSSiply tWo It' h^TL S^hTendS^Thur^^^^^^^^ '•"; ?''\^?« '-''-• :U?hetttr^ad*rd^"TnSS^ with the nailing hatchet to the riLht Th^lJ!"'' P'^'=«','^ «hown in position, at either ^ide'^of tKame 'aVA'i' a^hd^iT^^nr " """"^ °" *•>« ^^-^^ inthlK^that^^rn^^er^^^^^^^^^ hand and draw them out readily Snt'^drw^wSd^H h^v ^iT"^^ Ji!^^ ^'? '«" where, with the least Po««ible"rti^l'rc::1;e*fhe'rL*'^rsi'n^^^ time PrSefiS; 'all t^^^'TtffiT' ^^ .«'«-'nonly i" the Mari- fpr carrying boxes lid f^an ad^raWe vehiT •*,"r'^'ded with a rack lifting, the load is conveni^rpS for h3ni ^nH thr' f^^^ *'*»> ^[«^ feature is that it requireTmore nSlm iSl t?L tr^ * and the only objectionable NOTES FOR BEGINNERS, matter. ^^™ *° "'' ^°" '™'* accurately and the placing in the box is a simple r...J' ^^^2;?""^ cannot be too strongly insisted upon in everv featuro nt ho^ f^^l?^;.o*^''"^'™"'"^rP°'' ^^^ °^ «^'«1««« '"bbiS in of m^isturl Ind dust f.^it^n^rn'°"'^°°- ^*?^ ™r* scrupulous attentioS shouW U aven to the A Convenient Warehouse. Fia. I. Receiving Side. PlATl XVIII. Fio. 3. I/wdinii Side. 63 • u^j S^?«ld there be any dust or spray material upon the apples when picked It w much eaaier to take it off at that time. If the apples are allS themTcwk cleaS"^"'* * *'*'^'"° gumminess that renders it difficult to maSe A.^ 6- Box packing is the repetition of the same motions many hundred times a day. If, therefore, even one unnecessary motion is made with each specimen It becomes a senous handicap in a day's work. specimen, THE PACKING OF PEARS. The Canadian apple box has proved too large a package for nears but thorP 18 no umformity n the pear boxes in actual use.*" The Britfsh CoKi'a packagi corresponds closely to the package used in the North-western States. A numbfr of shippers in St Catharines, Ont., use a box much smaller than the appleTx Scets '"Th?n'*'.^jri:' ?r^'''' PJ^?'^ .r ^'^•PP^^ t° market inn qS^rt baskets. The^ll quart basket has proved itself an excellent package for the local rSn ^* ^"^"^f " ••^^"''ble quantity of fruit and, where carf is taken, can be packed so as to present a very attractive appearance. It is convenientlv retailed and ships well for short distances. Something might be said for ?t even for long d^tances, if the shippers would only take thf trouble to deck the cire I il method of packing the basket commonly u.sed is simply a 'jumble' pack; that is, the baskets are filled without any regularity whatev^r.^and 'covered vnth a lino cover A few of the better growers have discovered thkt the basket can be packed with regular packs almost as conveniently as a box and that not only are the carrymg qualities of the fruit enhanced, but the basket presents a much more pleasing appearance. Pears will repay wrapping and no Sar packing, either in baskets or boxes, is complete without the wrapping u -* *u ' P'lckaKe fo"; pears will, inai' ,)robability, be a half box, somewhat for°i?an trade **"" '* ^^^^^ ^''' P'"^"*'*"^ ^""^^ «« '« used by thTcali- There is less variation in the commercial sizes of pears than in annles Consequently the number of packs actually used is less and there are few caHs for anything but the ordinary 2-3 pack. The elongated form of the pear indicates h^nn^"'?^*^*^*' l^^.u^^ *¥ ^'•'^e "''""'d '''^^y^ ^ over the stem end In bepmoing the 2-3 pack, the calyx end will be placed against the end of the box The second row of course will be placed witL the stem end toward the paS and so continued to the upper end of the box. The fullness of the box is S «?Ji!ir"!? ^y P'^'-'fr* ^^^^^' °' '°"«^^ ^ •" **»« '^ of "PPles- Occasion^ y offZ L^wi^J^"! ''•" P*"'' ^^ry.co'^veniently in what might be called a loose Sn^fK ^ ^^ P'^""'? °u^ 1^" '"^ .*•»« '«f* ^^^O'l ^'o™^'- o^ the box, and then dividing the space evenly by three other pears. Of course, the same orecaut^ns are taken to pack with the calyx end to the box. precautions Practically all the general instruction given with reference to apple packinir packing and marking packages but of course there are many things in the Irow nl and marketing peculiar to each fruit. These are not touched in this bulletin PACKING FOR EXHIBITION. Hortic'iltural exhibitions of late years are making a feature of commercial packages and the score cards adopted by these exhibitions bring out pToS- ently the essential features of good and bad packing and packages. . Ihe *ruit Division, soon after its formation, issued a score card to the various fair managers in the Dominion, with the hope of securing some uni- formity in the methods of judging fruit. This served a useful p^pSS^, WanlioweApitliaBoai. Pun XIX. Fio. 1. Perfection Truck— Open. no. a. Perfection Truck— Cloead. Fto. 3. Box-Making Bench. 65 and in the original form was used for many years. Some changes, however, have been made and the relative values of points have been altered somewhat. It is not at all likely that there will ever be perfect unanimity in the valuing of points for either packages or method of packing. After all, many of the points depend upon the purpose for which the package is intended, and certainly most of them are a matter of personal judgment. We give below the original score card recommended by the Fruit Division, as well as some modifications of this, as shown in the forms recommended by the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association, and the Massachusetts Fruit Show. In order that the values may be comparable we have taken 1,000 for the fruit packages and the fruit which they contain, allowing 350 for the package and the packing of the fruit. BARRELS. Fruit Diviiioii Ontario F.GJl. IfaMachuietta Fruit Show. . 1 PMkase— Staves M 35 M 18 84 10 10 10 20 20 Hoop* Haid. .::. Naaint MarkiM Hst^ FiniahinB. . .... Totol Ml 87 44 44 44 140 84 28 42 M 70 70 SO 80 70 FackioB- Faciaf TaUing Rucking Preaainc Totol 219 210 280 Package — Material Nailing and Cleating . Solidity Marking. . Style of Pack Finishing Neatness. . . Total. Packino— Bulge or Swell Height at Ends Alignment Tightness Attractiveness and Style of Pack. Total. Plate aX. Flo. 1. Sloven Wacon. Fio. 2. Warehouie of the Berwick Fruit Compwiy, Nov. Scotia. Two other warebouaei can be •een in the diatant baokiroand. A comer ol the Evapoiator ahowa on the ri«ht. 67 NOTES ON SCORE CARDS. nndJ^Kiiw^K" I^^^IP^^T' A^P'?*??" ^ F°"P«* *»>« pointson 'Package' r„ ♦!, * J° ^'"^ 'Matenal' and 'Finishing,' wSch has the advantage of aUc^- n^L?K ^'i'*-^*^ more scope with reference to the individual pointe. OnTthe } J'T^ '* **^ °.°* designate to the exhibitor the importanSe^ tSit ill to bS attached to each feature of the package. Of course, it m\u,t be mideretoSd tlSt any venr senous defect in any point would iu aU probability throw anSiiwSr out of tfce runiung. For instance, a barrel composed of split staves or ofSeven thicfaiess would mean such a serious cut that it would require perhaps wiScS excellence m all other features to have any hope of winning ^ Pawcular The necessity for studying the score card will appear too in noting the rela- tive value attached to the package and the packing, Js^n in the vake of ISloJt of a possible 350 given by the Fruit Division, 140 by the Ontario Fruit Growere' Association and 70 by the Massachusetts Fruit Show. Inexperienced exhXto" should note that even such a small matter as the size and length of the S wiU make a difference m score that may possibly turn the scale where other th^ are €^ua! or near y so, so that no feature of the packing can be neglected. ^ Tightnesa of Pack' in boxes has reference to the firmness with which each apple « placed in it« position, so as to be supported at as many points wSsdWe 'Style of Pack' has reference to the judgment of the packer in selectine a £te oU "d packinT "^ "' ''' '''^''- " '' ^''"^ °°' of"tre sSeilit L»r mrtmucATnoHB DAIRY IMD GOLD SmUMEm O0ifMI8»0illR*t WHS.