Page 6 



BETTER FRUIT 



September 



pends upon how small arc the former 

 and how large the latter. 



Sample apples are a great aid in size 

 grading. Select specimens of the largest 



and smallest sizes which so into each 

 hox and keep them in front of their 

 respective receptacles. These guide 

 apples should be of characteristic 

 shape, as unusually long or flat apples 

 are apt to mislead. 



Here in the Northwest there are 

 three standard grades: Extra Fancy, 

 Fancy and Choice. These grades have 

 been found very unsatisfactory and 

 growers elsewhere are not advised to 

 follow them. In the first place, the 

 names are misleading, because the word 

 "choice" conveys an idea of quality 

 equal to "fancy" in the mind of the 

 eating public. Furthermore, it is im- 

 practicable to divide fruit into more 

 than two merchantable grades. Fancy 

 and Extra Fancy are practically the 

 same, no material blemishes or defects 

 being allowed in either, so why take all 

 the trouble of keeping them separate? 

 The difference is more in name than in 

 fact, or would be if the grading rules 

 were followed to the letter. 



As a matter of fact each man is a law 

 unto himself when it comes to grading 

 fruit. Xo two persons will interpret a 

 set of grading rules in exactly the same 

 way, any more than they will a col- 

 lection of rules for conduct, such as 

 the Ten Commandments. Furthermore, 

 a consideration for one's own interests 

 or the interests of one's employer, real 

 or fancied, will influence one's judg- 

 ment, consciously or subconsciously, no 

 matter how conscientious one may be. 

 To these peculiarities of the human 

 mind is due the differences in indi- 

 vidual brands of fruit, as much as to 

 the quality of the product produced. 



Regardless of grade names, most fruit 

 is considered as either first or second 

 quality and may — in fact should be — 

 considered as such. Just where to draw 

 the dividing line between firsts and sec- 

 onds is a debatable point and one upon 

 which no hard-and-fast rules can be 

 laid down. It is well enough to say 

 that "all red varieties shall be at least 

 seventy per cent good red color," but 

 what constitutes "good red color"? 

 Moreover, some varieties are a good 

 deal redder than others and it would 

 be an obvious mistake to insist that a 

 Ben Davis should have as much color as 

 an Arkansas Black, or even a Gano. So 

 let us say that red varieties shall be 

 well colored to admit them to the first 

 grade, and let it go at that. 



First-class apples must also be well 

 shaped, which is another place where 

 one's judgment is permitted consider- 

 able play. Both first and second-grade 

 apples must be in good condition — not 

 shriveled — free from worms, scale or 

 other insect pests, and the first should 

 be practically free from scab, stings, 

 soft or dry rot, bruises, watercore, limb 

 rubs, skin breaks, missing stems, russet 

 spots and any other injuries or imper- 

 fections. In the interpretation of this 

 rule care should be taken to distinguish 

 between picking and other bruises, 

 since the former may be admitted if 

 not too large or numerous. Small and 

 inconspicuous russet spots and frost 



Side View of Three-two and Two-two Packs. 125, 112, 9fi and 88 Apples. 

 By 0. H. Barnhill, Ashland, Oregon 



Three-two and 4V.-ticr Packs. 138, 150, lf>3 and 175 Apples. 

 By O. H. Barnhill, Ashland, Oregon 



marks may be passed. It is hard to 

 draw the line here, because some varie- 

 ties, such as the Newtown, naturally 

 have a good deal of russeting around 

 the stem. So it is with stings, scab and 

 limb rubs, which are often concealed 

 near the calyx or hidden by russeting, 

 being of such microscopic dimensions 

 that only the closest scrutiny will re- 

 veal them. And yet, if a grader be 

 instructed to admit even the very tiniest 

 of blemishes he is apt to overlook some 

 that are quite large. The old saying, 

 "Give a man an inch and he will take a 

 mile" applies with peculiar force to 

 fruit grading. The most stringent rules 

 are the safest for the average workman. 



Second-grade apples should be in 

 good condition and free from insects. 

 They may be somewhat misshapen, but 

 should not be "crooked up" by aphis. 

 Neither should they be too badly "stung 

 up," although a few blemishes of this 

 kind may be omitted, care being taken 

 to distinguish between a sting and a 

 worm hole. When in doubt, throw it 

 out. The rule for scab is to pass a spot 

 as large as a dime, or a number of spots 

 whose combined size is no larger than 

 a dime. The same rule might apply to 

 limb rubs. Bruises and rotten spots 

 should, of course, be excluded. 



The four boxes into which the four 

 sizes of first-class apples are graded 

 should be placed on one side of the box 

 from which the apples are being sorted, 

 with four boxes to receive the seconds 



on the other side. Culls are thrown 

 into a box beneath the table. As the 

 boxes are filled they are stacked away 

 for packing, each size and grade being 

 piled separately. 



Girls make better packers and grad- 

 ers than men, because they are more 

 careful and teachable. On the other 

 hand, they are not strong enough to 

 handle a box of apples, so it is neces- 

 sary to furnish male help to carry the 

 fruit to and away from them. The 

 usual price paid for packing is five 

 cents a box and for grading two cents, 

 the latter for boxes level full. One cent 

 a box is paid for nailing up boxes, a 

 nailing press being needed for this 

 work. The same price is paid for mak- 

 ing boxes, for which a table is provided 

 with two sets of thin boards fixed in an 

 upright position to hold the end pieces. 

 Five-penny box nails are used, four for 

 each cleat and side board. If the cleats 

 split they should be soaked in water. 



Apple paper generally comes in two 

 sizes, 10x10 and 9x9, the former for 

 four-tier sizes and larger, the latter for 

 four-and-and-one-half tier and smaller. 

 Cardboard is no longer used between 

 the layers, but one sheet is placed in 

 the bottom of the box and one on top, 

 inside the lining paper. Two sheets of 

 the latter are folded over the sides of 

 the box, the edges lapping over the 

 ciack in the bottom. The wrapping 

 paper is held in a shallow tray fast- 

 Continued on page 25 



