184 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Mr. Williams: I have never considered thorough cultivation practical 

 for any great length of time. 



Mr. Murphy: Some people argue that in plowing with a breaking 

 plow you cut the large feeders and fibers that come to the top of the soil, 

 and they claim by cutting these you will sooner or later injure the trees. 

 But I am satisfied that is a mistake. I am satisfied it is necessary once in 

 a while to cut them off. Others will take their places so quickly you don't 

 know how they have done it. You will never strike any large roots in 

 cultivating within reason. 



Mr. Davidson: How small an apple would you pack? 



Mr. Murphy: That would depend on the variety. Take a Ben Davis 

 that was too small to go into a number one barrel of that variety, it 

 would be large enough to go into a number one Jonathan, because the 

 Jonathan is a smaller apple. 



Mr. Davidson: What is your rule on Ben Davis? 



Mr. Murphy: Some seasons they are larger than other seasons. You 

 have to be governed by that. As near a uniform size as you can get makes 

 a better grade of selling number one apples. The evener they are in size 

 the better sellers. 



Mr. Davidson: I supposed pickers had rules to go by. 



Mr. Murphy: They do have rules, but they are governed by the season. 

 Probably a two and one-half inch Jonathan would be the smallest that 

 would go into a number one barrel in a usual year. 



Mr. Davidson: Nebraska packers seem to use a different rule in the 

 middle of the barrel than they do at the top. 



Mr. Murphy: Ordinarily of course it is natural to use the best to face 

 with, all even in size and color, but your face should represent what the 

 barrel contains, and when you do that you can get the top market price, 

 with practically no more expense in packing. If you have apples that run 

 right, they might grade forty or fifty per cent number one; that would be 

 very high. Forty per cent is high for number one. 



Mr. Davidson: A two and one-half inch is the common rule for Ben 

 Davis, isn't it? 



Mr. Murphy: Yes, and a two inch for Winesap. The Winesaps you 

 have to get a little less for. They are a very small apple. If you stop at 

 a two inch, you will have very few number one. You have to go to one 

 and three-fourths on a Winesap or Jenet. You have to learn it. A man 

 ought to have an idea what the market demands, and that is what he ought 

 to get. What will fill the bill. 



A Member: If number one sells for $1.50 a barrel, what will number 

 two sell for? 



Mr. Murphy: It depends on the season. A number two now would 

 bring about double what number one did a few weeks ago. Usually num- 

 ber one is about twice what number two is. A few years ago I had a fair 

 crop of Jonathans, really better than this last summer. And a firm in 

 Chicago, Hewhall & Sons, fancy dealers in all kinds of fruit, the leaders 



