Summer Meeting. 127 



the nearer we get to the consumer better prices we get. I would specially 

 recommend the shalloAv two-layer box for summer, fall and fancy winter 

 apples; then the bushel box for our next grade summer apples. Would 

 not use barrels for summer or fall packing. Our winter apples carry 

 better and keep longer. These I would pack largely in bushel boxes. 

 These boxes are eleven inches wide, eleven inches deep and nineteen and 

 one-half inches long. They can be had of any box manufacturer. 

 Anderson Tully Co., Memphis, Tenn., quotes them seven cents each in 

 car lots, knocked down. Three of these boxes costing a little less than 

 our regular three bushel apple barrels. 



As before stated, I would pack our fancy varieties in the shallow 

 two-layer box, wrap each apple. The balance in bushel boxes and stand- 

 ard three bushel barrels. Put nothing but first-class fruit on the mar- 

 ket; build evaperators and use inferior stock at home. Why pay freight, 

 commissions, etc., when you can get more out of it as evaporated fruit. 



If we use the barrel, see that it is the standard three bushel, six 

 hoop, made well. I get the regular stock in knock down and have my 

 own coopers make them. ISTail your hoops on well and use head-liners, 

 for the commission man has good reason to complain when he comes to 

 open a barrel of apples where they have used from tw^elve to thirty 

 nails to fasten in heads. Had they used liners three or four nails in 

 hoops is enough and three nails in each liner, which can be taken off 

 verv easilv. 



Face your barrels carefully with two layers of average apples. Be 

 careful and not put all small apples on face end, then sort carefully from 

 sorting table. I use table made from two by four scantling covered with 

 heavy duck, allowing an apron of some four feet over ends. Pour your 

 apples from your crates out upon this table; the packer having faced his 

 barrel, places it at either end of table and brings the apron up over the 

 barrel. As the apples are sorted into this apron it is let down into the 

 barrel preventing them from bruising, gently shake the barrel at least 

 tAvice while filling, round it up w^ell above the chime of barrel, put on 

 your lever press and force the head into place, fasten it, and your 

 barrel of apples is ready for market ruined before it leaves your door, 

 for you all know it is impossible to pack a barrel of apples tight enough 

 to carry fifty miles without bruising more or less every apple in the 



