No 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 249 



tween the picker's body and the ladder steps or limbs of the tree, to 

 such an extent that they must be discarded at once. I have had an 

 opportunity to watch this matter very carefully and it does work 

 out. 



In picking apples, where trees are not too high, 1 like a step ladder. 

 A convenient height is eight or ten feet, and the ladder should be made 

 with but three legs, so as to stand solidly on uneven ground. For high 

 trees I use a ladder, the side rails of which come together in a point at 

 the top. This ladder can be jjushed up between branches without knock 

 ing off fruit, aud requires but one point of support at the upper end. 

 In picking apples from a tree heavily loaded with green fruit on the 

 under side of limbs, I am satisfied that it is entirely practical to make 

 two pickings; aud that the green apples, left ten days or two weeks, 

 will improve enough in size and color to pay well for the extra work. 

 Picking should begin on the lowest limbs, and proceed upward. This 

 saves many apples from being knocked to the ground by pickers. 



For barrel packing, if at all possible, the fruit should go directly 

 from tree to a packing or sorting table, and at once enter the barrel. If, 

 for any reason, this cannot be done, another course is open. Either 

 pour carefully into bushel crates or into the barrels, which are to be 

 used later. Ilemove the heads and place them in the bottom of the 

 barrel ; and lay a corrugated cap or paper cushion on top of the head, 

 to prevent cutting of the fruit. Then haul to the barn or packing 

 shed, and store till ready to barrel. In this way all the available help 

 may be employed in picking; and the packing may be done on rainy 

 days. Neither boxes nor barrels should be made quite full. 



Never, except under the most extreme necessity, pour into piles on 

 the ground. This will mean unnecessary bruising, a good deal of 

 decay and a lot more work every time. 



The sorting table may be made in several ways. My preference is 

 for a frame of three by four stuff, six feet long by three feet wide, and 

 covered with burlap, canvas, old carpet, or any strong material which 

 will form the bottom of the table; faced all round with a board, which 

 extends an inch above the frame, to form an edge. This edge, with the 

 sag of canvas cover, gives capacity for two or three barrels of apples. 

 The table is supported by two trestles or by three barrels. It stands 

 as nearly level as maj' be, and each apple must be picked from the 

 table by hand. The operation is not a slow one. The operator, look- 

 ing before him sees one side of the fruit. He takes two apples in each 

 hand, (unless very large) and turns up the other side, then, with a 

 quick motion of the fingers, the grades are readily divided into their 

 respective baskets, at side and end of table. For this purpose a round 

 half-bushel, drop handle basket is best. This basket can be lowered 

 to the bottom of the barrel and then turned over by hand. I like this 

 method, because I belive more thorough culling and better grading 

 can be accomplished with less bruises than with any other form of 

 table. 



Use good barrels, of full standard size, head 17i inches, bulge 

 circumference 04 inches, length of stave 28^ inches. This is the stan- 

 dard New York apple barrel, and contains 7.026 cubic inches. 



If possible, get barrels made from well dried staves, by expert 

 coopers. Green staves will dry out after filling, and leave the barrels 

 loose, while poorly made barrels will result in much vexatious delay 



