THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 335 



Therefore, when the Standardization Law of 1915 I ame effective for the season 



of 1f>l<i, in the case of berries intended for interstate shipment, most of the shippers 

 were glad to extend the inspectors their heart; cooperation. 



As each til" the 170 growers pack on their own fields, a copy of the law printed 

 in Japanese was nailed in each packing shed. Bach grower was numbered, and 

 provided with a rubber stamp corresponding to his number, which he was required to 

 stamp on each crate intended for interstate shipment, .-is this was the only means 

 possible of identifying the packer of the crates when they arrived at the loading 



station. 



The various fields were divided into several districts, one inspector being assigned 

 to each district, who visited each packing shed in the morning, and also the pickers 

 in the Melds, instruct ins packers and pickers as to what would be required to make 

 the pack "reasonably uniform in size, quality and maturity throughout the package 

 or container." 



In the after n the inspectors assembled at the loading stations where the crates 



are loaded into iced express cars, and as each load arrived from the fields, a few 

 crates were opened to determine the shipping condition of the berries before allowing 

 them to be loaded into the cars. If in the opinion of the inspector the berries were 

 not in condition for shipment out of the state, or it not properly packed, they were 

 rejected and the grower was permitted to sell them locally or within the state. This 

 practice soon sained for the inspectors the title of "sorter of fruits," and in a large 

 measure weakened their position. The effort of the field inspectors was thus partly 

 wasted, as with some growers it was immaterial to them where the berries were 

 marketed. 



However, the revised law of 1917 effective for the season of 191S, has been 

 materially strengthened and will apply to berries sold locally as well as those shipped 

 out of the state, and therefore a more rigid inspection will be enforced, and fruit 

 rejected in the future must be repacked or sold to the cannery. 



Daring the season of 191(1 and 1917 but three arrests wire made and these only 

 after repeated warnings had been given to the obstinate growers. In each case they 

 were very indifferent to the inspectors' requests. 



Much improvement of the pack was manifested where the grower would require his 

 pickers to stamp each individual crate with the picker's number or letter. The 

 indifferent picker could then be discharged when his pack did not show improvement, 

 after the first warning. However, this simple met hod was used only in a few 

 eases: another feature which may lie necessary if labor continues short and wages so 

 higher, is the curtailment of large plantings to fields of four or five acres. With this 

 limited acreage, the grower can usually harvest his crop with a minimum amount of 

 labor and keep up with the fast-ripening berries. 



The average price per crate for the six weeks' shipping season of 1915 before 



standardization was enforced was about : for 1916 tin' average was $1.13, and 



I'm- 1917 ;, 1m. ni $1.30. During the six weeks' season of this year, approximately 

 •JIMI ears or 180,000 crates were shipped to interstate markets, from nine different 

 loading points. (If these, probably 2,500 elates were rejected by the inspectors. 

 The total cost of inspection was $510. 



Several factors have combined to make the increase price during the last two 

 seasons. Better distribution in markets of the Northwest and favorable climatic 

 conditions have assisted, but the general improvement of the pack as enforced has 

 very materially increased the demand, for. during the past season, many dealers of the 

 Northwest have placed buyers in the field, knowing thai the berries would not be 

 shipped unless of uniform quality and properly packed. 



