436 ANNUAL EEPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



FBUIT AND VEGETABLE GRADING AND HANDLING. 



Exhaustive studies have been made of the grading and handling of 

 apples, peaches, and strawberries, and practical tentative grades have 

 been Avorked out for these crops. The work has covered the principal 

 producing sections of the East, South, and Middle West, and also the 

 more important markets. It has included grading, packing, pack- 

 ages, packing house construction and equipment, and the effect of 

 different methods of handling upon the physical condition of the 

 fruit. The operation of sizing machines and other labor-saving de- 

 vices was studied to determine their efficiency and practicability. As 

 a result of the work the bureau is now prepared to make definite 

 recommendations as to grading and packing these crops, as to fruit 

 packing house plans and equipment, and general handling methods. 



Special attention has been given to potatoes, Texas Bermuda 

 onions, cantaloupes, and tomatoes, and work has been started on 

 other truck crops, consisting of a study of the various operations of 

 harvesting, grading, packing, inspecting, and shipping. As a result 

 of this work the Bureau of Markets was able to recommend immedi- 

 ately, in conjunction with the United States Food Administration, 

 on the request of the Federal Reserve Board, potato grades for use 

 by the member banks, when, in August, 1917, they were authorized 

 to make loans against warehouse receipts for potatoes, properly 

 graded, packed, stored, and insured. These grades were published 

 as Markets Document 7. 



The tentative grades worked out in 1916 were put to a practical 

 test by being used as a basis for the actual field grading of car lots 

 of onions and potatoes, with comparison of the movement and selling 

 price of graded stock with that of stock which had not been graded. 



Experiments have been made to determine the efficiency and prac- 

 ticability of machinery for sizing these crops. It was demonstrated 

 that the work may be done economically and with more uniform 

 results by the use of machines than by the hand method. 



STANDARDIZATION OF GKADES AND PACKAGES. 



Investigations were made to determine how successfully apple 

 grade laws are being carried out in the several States having such 

 laws and to obtain the necessary information upon which uniform 

 grade legislation may be based. At the request of various growers' 

 associations and horticultural societies of 12 States, a specimen bill, 

 embodying grade specifications, marking requirements, and other 

 essentials, was prepared for use as a guide in drafting proposed 

 legislation.. Three of these States have adopted the essential pro- 

 visions of this bill by legislative enactment and two others have 

 amended existing laws to conform closely w'ith it. 



Extensive losses were found to have been sustained by growers, 

 shippers, receivers, and the transportation companies because of the 

 frail condition, or careless construction, of fruit and vegetable con- 

 tainers. Great confusion and some deception were found on the 

 market, especially in selling and in reporting market prices, because 

 of the wide variation in types and sizes of packages used by 

 different growers for the same articles. In addition to the package 

 investigations conducted, conferences have been held with growers, 



