Hood River Apple Growers' Union. 323 



of plate put in four openings on one side and three on tlie otlier for ventilators. 

 These ventilators are about twelve inches square, boxed and fitted with trap- 

 doors to regulate the temperature. The walls and ceiling are covered with 

 cement plaster, which is so hard that it cannot easily be injured. Over the upper 

 joists I laid a covering of paper and matched flooring over the paper. To let 

 the hot air out of fruit room there are apertures through the plastered ceiling, 

 but these do not extend through the upper floor, the air passing out through 

 the air spaces between the inside and outside walls of the building. 



Extending through the center of main fruit room is a car track which is 

 Iniilt on a level with the threshold of the doors at each end of the building, 

 in order that the car may pass outside of building to wagon ; aud for this pur- 

 pose a portable or removable piece of track extends from threshold as far outside 

 as may be desired. There are double doors at each end of building, the outer 

 one being made of narrow flooring and the inside one being a sash door in order 

 to admit light when outside door is open. 



I should have said that it is ten feet from ground to ceiling in fruit room. 

 There is a hall in the upper story where boxes are made and stored. This is 

 the same size as the store-room below, and paper-lined and plastered. From apex 

 of roof a piece of scantling extends some three feet, which carries a hook and 

 hlock or pulley to facilitate the hoisting of box-shooks from the ground to the 

 box-room. There are two wide porches at ends of building, and most of the early 

 packing is done under one of them. In the annex room there is a flue and stove, 

 and packing is done there in cold weather. A door leads from this room to 

 fruit room, and stairs to the hall above. As more trees come into bearing I expect 

 to attach a packing room the whole length of the building on the south side. 



I am satisfied that this house will stand any degree of cold incident to Hood 

 River Valley. I use simply a ground floor, which by use becomes quite hard, and 

 is always dry. On the bottom I place lines of scantling, that ends of apple boxes 

 may rest upon and these boxes are piled one above another, an inch strip being 

 placed across ends of the boxes to insure ventilation. It is the better plan to 

 have orchard boxes made of heavier material than the boxes in which fruit is 

 l>acked. These Ijoxes should be a third larger than the ordinary fruit box, with 

 hand-holds and highest at the ends, in order that the fruit may not be injured 

 in placing one box above another, and also to give circulation of air between 

 boxes. Boxes in which fruit is packed should never be taken into the orchard, 

 as it is next to impossible to keep them clean, and a dirty package finds little 

 favor with the buyer. 



HOOD RIVER APPLE GROWERS' UNION. 



ADVICE TO GROWERS. 



1. Pick all apples as soon as they have attained their proper size, color and 

 maturity, and save loss from dropping. In picking, be careful not to pull oft 

 fruit spurs, and see that your pickers do not bruise apples by dropping into the 

 bucket or basket or in transferring to the field box. 



2. The Union will notify you by mail when a variety is to be packed and 

 how. Upon receipt of such notice, pick, wipe and have all arrangements made 

 for packers, as follows : Packing house, boxes, paper, packing table, nailing 

 machine, nails, etc. 



3. The packing house should be arranged to let in plenty of light, and keep 

 out as much wind as possible. Provide suflicient lamp light for late in the after- 

 noon, as it gets dark early. 



