PICKING AND PACKING GRAPES. 2 37 



edge of the basket about half an inch. All stems are placed down so 

 that the surface of the basket of grapes after packing present only a 

 smooth surface of grapes and no unsightly stems sticking out here 

 and there. The baskets are allowed to stand over night in order to 

 "wilt" as it is called. This gives an opportunity for the lid to be put 

 on without mashing or bruising the top layer of grapes. Where the 

 grower handles his grapes individually his name and brand (if he 

 has one) are stamped on each basket and the full baskets are hauled 

 from the packing house to the railroad station. In most of the ais- 

 tricts the grape crop is handled through associations. In this case 

 the fruit is hauled to the association warehouse direct from the vine- 

 yard and packed and inspected under association supervision. The 

 association warehouse is usually located alongside of the railroad, and 

 fruit is sliipped out in car lots. All the surplus grapes and those 

 which will not grade firsts are usually sold to the grape juice factory at 

 BO much per ton. Some growers contract their entire crop early in the 

 spring to the grape juice factories and wineries for so much per ton. 

 Sometimes this price is much less than what they could get by selling 

 the product in fresh state. However they are sure of a market. In all 

 the operations the grapes are handled very carefully wath a minimum 

 of loss by bruising. The packages used are mainly the ordinary seven 

 and eight pound Climax basket. Concords, Moores Early, Delaware, 

 Niagara, are among the main market varieties. The Delaware "and 

 that class of grapes are packed in smaller size baskets as well as the 

 ordinary sized baskets.. 



In the Pacific northwest some American grapes are grown and 

 are handled largely in baskets, the same as the eastern grapes. 



Here in Nebraska our grapes have, generally speaking, been 

 marketed in a haphazard manner. Not enough care was given to the 

 manner of packing nor to the preparation of grapes for packing. Some 

 falls our Concords do not ripen as evenly as they should. It has been 

 the habit with some growers to market green, half ripe and fully ripe 

 ones all in the same basket. Consequently when they came in com- 

 petition with grapes from other sections they were sold at a less figure 

 per basket. This condition of affairs is rapidly being changed how- 

 ever. Enterprising individuals saw the necessity of meeting the other 

 fellow more than half way and putting up their product in a first 

 class manner as well. One fruit growers association ha;j been organ- 

 ized for several years and is growing gradually stronger, which had 

 for its object the handling of its small fruits and especially grapes. 

 The Omaha Fruit Grower Association by careful packing and uniform 

 grading was able the next year after organization to sell their grapes for 

 22 cents per basket as against 10 and 12 cents a basket before under 

 any old method of packing. The Eastern Nebraska Fruit Growers 

 Association, which has been in operation over a year expect to handle 

 a good number of grapes this season. A rigid standard of inspection 

 will be adhered to. The consumer wants to get value received for 



