PACKING FIGS. 195 
different guides are also made for different sizes of boxes. The sim- 
plicity and convenience of this guide is evident. ‘No matter what size 
of box and how many rows of bars are required to fill it, a guide may 
be made that will readily fit. 
The process of packing ‘‘ flat” figs is as follows: The guide is 
dropped in the box. A flat fig is then placed at the further end of 
the left compartment, with the ‘‘ eye” face downward and the ‘‘ stalk” 
end toward the packer. Another fig is placed partly on the top and 
partly behind this first fig in such a way that the front margin of the 
second fig just covers the center of the first fig, thus hiding the stalk. 
In this way the figs are thatched, or packed shingle fashion. The last 
fig in the row or bar must be partly folded upon itself, the stalk end 
being bent downward in order to fit the straight 
face of the box. If any one of the figs is a trifle 
too wide, the sides may be pushed together and 
made to fit the compartment. Care should be 
taken never to place too small a fig in a compart- 
ment. The next layer of the bar is packed in the 
same way, except that the box is turned around or 
the figs are otherwise packed so that their stalk 
ends point in the opposite direction from those in 
the first row; and so on, layer upon layer, until 
the compartment is full. If it is desirable that 
the box should be faced similarly on both sides, 
so as to present the same appearance if opened at 
either top or bottom, a slightly different method is 
required. In this case a guide is used which is 
about one-half as high as the box. A block or 
‘‘follower” the size of the interior of the box, but 
only one-half as deep, is first slipped into the box, 
which should in this case be merely a frame, with- 
out bottom or top. On this follower is placed the 
guide, and the packing proceeds as previously 
described. When the last face is made the top 
cover is nailed on securely. The box is now turned over, the follower 
removed, the guide raised, and the other side packed the same as in 
the first instance. It isin some respects better to have only one guide, 
slightly higher than the box, and instead. of one follower for the whole 
box, use one small follower for each compartment. The frame of the 
box is first placed on a loose drawboard, the guide is slipped down, 
then a follower in each compartment of the guide, after which the 
packing begins. After the cover is nailed on the box is turned over, 
the drawboard removed, each follower lifted out, and the box finished 
just like the other side. The followers should be covered with zine, 
in order that they may be readily washed. 
_ In packing square figs guides may be used or not. (Guides may be 
Fie. 30.—California 
dried-fruit press. 
