38 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



On motion, the question of fruit packages was next taken up, and Mr. W. 

 A. Brown, of Stevens villa, read an essay on 



FRUIT PACKAGES AND LEGISLATION CONCERNING THEM. 



The government of the United States formerly adopted the same system of 

 weights and measure which prevailed in England. The several States have, 

 by legislative enactments, designated the number of pounds which shall consti- 

 tute the bushel of most dry measure products produced in the respective States. 

 But the only recognized standard for the international exchange of the cereal 

 and coarse mineral products of the country is the avoirdupois system of weights. 



The French metric system was, however, legalized by act of Congress, in 

 1866, but has only been adopted by California, and is coming into general use 

 in other localities on the Pacific coast. 



The standard dry measure i;f this country is the old Winchester bushel of 

 England. It is used in measuring dry articles, such as grain, fruit, coal, salt, 

 etc. The bushel contains 2,150 2-15 cubic inches, and the quart contains 

 67 1-5 inches. Wine measure is used in measuring all varieties of liquids, and 

 contains 57f inches. With the exception of green fruits, all articles which are 

 measured by dry measure are legally subjected to the avoirdupois system of 

 weights, and, in fact, the dry measure system has become legally obsolete, 

 unless retained for the sole purpose of constituting a legal measure for fruits. 



The inconvenience, confusion and fraudulent practices arising from the use 

 of the old dry measure, has led to enactments which designate the number of 

 pounds to the bushel of different grains and vegetables. But the incompati- 

 bility of laws which constitute twenty-eight pounds of oats one bushel in 

 Connecticut, while Washington Territory gives thirty-six; and Illinois forty 

 pounds of buckwheat when little New Jersey heaps the measure to fifty pounds 

 is an anomaly not easily understood. Fifty-six pounds of corn is given by all 

 the States excepting Illinois and Missouri, which allow but fifty-two. Penn- 

 sylvania is liberal with salt, giving eighty pounds per bushel, while Illinois 

 strikes the measure down to fifty pounds. The discrepancies in the laws of 

 the several States are irrevelant, however, as the laws of weight prevail in the 

 sale of these products. 



Barrels are not measures of capacity, except when the multiple of a unit is in- 

 dicated to designate their size, as 196 pounds of flour to the barrel, or 240 pounds 

 to the barrel of lime. A barrel of apples is an indefinite quantity; it may 

 require more or less in the different markets of the several States. Nevv York 

 requires eleven pecks to the barrel ; other States demand the same standard, 

 while Illinois recognizes no standard, and a barrel is a barrel in the Chicago 

 market, be it more or less. The Michigan or eastern buyer for the western 

 market, measures apples purchased from the producer in a low, wide bushel 

 basket, which is made to hold, when heaped, five pecks. He orders his cooper 

 to leave out a stave and make a straight, vertical barrel, of just two and one- 

 half bushels capacity, into which he presses with artistic skill the two bushels 

 of apples bought of the farmer. 



The city dealer recognizes the work of the professional apple packer at a 

 glance ; he knows the exact capacity of every form of barrel, but his experience 

 has taught him that the small barrel which is well filled, and formed in such 

 a manner as to hold every apple immovable in its place, will measure out more 

 sound fruit than the cracker or sugar barrel, of three or three and a half 



