THE SUMMEK MEETING. 39 



bushels capacity, which has been filled by the farmer in such a manner as to 

 be subjected to all the abrasions and contusions incident to railway carriage. 



The large eastern markets positively require apple barrels to contain a given 

 quantity, and the full-sized barrel, when well filled and handled, commands a 

 premium in most western markets. Our text books and tables inform us in 

 general terms that dry measure is used for measuring fruit ; but no special laws 

 exist which specify the varieties of fruits subject to such measurement, and it 

 appears that unless the standard contents of the bushel are designated by the 

 number of pounds contained therein, that we have no exact legal measurement 

 for the perishable variety of fruits. Custom in different localities has sub- 

 jected the measurement of berries to both dry and wine measure. Small 

 dealers buy by dry measure and sell by wine measure, thus enhancing their 

 profits, thereby incurring the ill-will of both producer and consumer. 



During the summer of 1861 D. N. Brown grew and marketed the first 

 strawberries sent from St. Joseph to Chicago. He improvised a package and 

 sent them to a man on State street who sold them for 50 cents per bushel. 

 Within the next two years strawberries began to be appreciated, good prices 

 were obtained, and quart boxes were imported from New Haven, Connecticut, 

 which were placed in crates, and the packages returned or paid for. The first 

 peach baskets used were made at Dowagiac, Michigan. They were intended to 

 hold one-half bushel, and were made by hand As the fruit trade developed 

 and the demand for fruit packages became largely augmented, large package 

 manufactories were established, whicli, with the aid of newly discovered 

 mechanical appliances, were enabled to supply the increasing demand. The 

 requirements of the Chicago trade and the system of repacking fruit into 

 small packages in Chicago coming into vogue, a few large fruit growers reduced 

 their packages a little smaller than their neighbors, and as many fruit growers 

 were persuaded that a small package of fruit would sell for as much or a little 

 more than the larger packages, the reduction in size was continued, and fruit 

 packages grew smaller and smaller and " beautifully less." The re-shipment 

 of fruits necessitating the use of a "give away" package, the scroll veneering 

 wood machine was utilized, and the cut box inclosed in a strong case has 

 proved the best package ever invented for economizing space and the 

 shipment of small fruits. 



The question of the capacity of fruit packages has led to much bitter con- 

 troversy between fruit dealers and consumers of fruit. This controversy 

 culminated in the passage of an ordinance during the year 1877 by the common 

 council of the city of Chicago which made it a misdemeanor to offer for sale 

 in the city any green fruits in packages of a capacity which would not corres- 

 pond with the even or aliquot parts of a bushel. All sorts and sizes of pack- 

 ages continued to be shipped to Chicago, and were sold by commission men in 

 violation of the ordinance. The city authorities attempted to enforce the law, 

 but the commission men combined in self-defense, and tlie courts decided the 

 ordinance unconstitutional and held tliat in the use of nondescript packages 

 for the sale of fruit, fraud could not be implied if false representations were 

 not made regarding the capacity of such packages. 



The evils entailed upon fruit interests in not being able to establish uniform 

 packages was fully recognized by legitimate commission houses, package man- 

 ufacturers, and fruit growers. The Michigan Lake Shore Fruit Growers' 

 Association and many fruit growers resolved to use the peck basket and the full 

 quart berry box. Several manufacturers constructed new forms for full-sized 



