7S8 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



^'If you will coufer the favor of an answer, I beg that you will cover 

 the ground coucerniug the various standard packages sold by your 

 Association far enough to give me the name of each package, size or 

 dimensions of box, crate, bale, basket, etc., weight (net), or measure 

 or number contained, and a description of what constitutes the dif- 

 ferent commercial grades of the articles sold by your Association. 

 "In addition to the foregoing, please add any other information in 

 print and by letter pertinent to this inquiry. 



''The inclosed envelope may be used for sending your answer with- 

 out payment of postage. 



''Very respectfully, 



"GEORGE K. HOLMES, 

 ''Chief, Division of Foreign Markets. 

 "Mr. Enos B. Engle, Sec. Pa. State Hort. Ass'n, Wavnesboro, Pa." 



PROF. VAN DEM AN: I would like to say a word about packages. 

 I find the box is becoming more and more popular, though it may 

 not always be practical. On the Pacific Coast they never use bar- 

 rels as they are not made there. 



* I believe the bushel box is the practical package, and the time will 

 come when it will be made cheaply by machinery. Stave lumber is 

 getting scarce and apple barrels commanded 75 cents each in New 

 York last fall. Owing to scarcity of barrels, hundreds of cars of 

 apples were shipped in bulk and in bad condition. If the use of 

 boxes will drive the lower grade of apples out of market, they can- 

 not be adopted too soon. The best place for poor apples is the pig- 

 pen and cow'yard. It is a crime and a sin to send inferior fruit to 

 market. Better pay a dollar a box for good fruit that fl.oO a bar- 

 rel for inferior grades. I have known choice apples in New York to 

 sell at |2.50 per box, and our foreign markets w^ant them in that 

 shape. Ocean freights are estimated by bulk rather than weight, 

 and boxes pack much better than barrels. There are plenty of peo- 

 ple who will buy a bushel that will not buy a barrel, and I believe 

 a demand could be established for them in a few years. 



PRESIDENT CHASE: I heartily agree with Prof. Van Deman 

 as to the use of the bushel packages. I would pack first-quality 

 fruit in baskets and boxes, and send second-qualities to the pigs. 



DR. MAYER: I have had some experience with boxes. Had 500 

 made at a cost of 10^ cents each, while barrels cost 33 cents apiece. 

 The only difficulty I have had with boxes was in cold storage. They 

 pack solidly, and do not cool so rapidly. They should be stored with 

 air-space between them. 



