398 Peach-Growing 



In general, however, the fruit can be handled in a packing- 

 house more satisfactorily than in the orchard. The size and 

 arrangement of a packing-house should be governed by the 

 amount of fruit that is to be handled. A simple shed or even 

 tent will serve the purpose for a small orchard. 



A packing-house of large capacity and an interior view 

 of the same house, are shown in Plate XXIX. The build- 

 ing is two stories high, the upper floor being used for the 

 storage of packages and other supplies. The sides are in 

 sections which are hinged at the top and raised as desired. 

 The fruit is unloaded from the orchard wagons along the 

 sides of the packing-house, where it is readily passed to 

 the packers, who work on either side of the central section of 

 the house. As may be seen, the location is along a railroad 

 siding, thus making the transfer of the packed fruit from 

 the house to the car very convenient. 



With the essentials of a desirable packing-house in mind, 

 the grower should have no serious difficulty in planning 

 details of arrangement which will meet his needs satis- 

 factorily. 



The equipment for a packing-house of large dimensions 

 should include suitable trucks for use in moving the packed 

 fruit to places of exit, also well-arranged packing tables. 

 A fahly well-planned table is shown in Plate XXIX (bottom). 

 It consists of a frame over which canvas is stretched, form- 

 ing a top that yields slightly, thus lessening the danger of 

 bruising the fruit as compared with a hard, rigid top. The 

 shelf along the side of the table supports the packages while 

 they are being filled. This should be in sections, however, 

 rather than continuous for the entire length of the table, so 

 as to permit the packer to reach the center of the table 

 easily. Sometimes a shelf, raised some distance above the 



