Picking and Packing 177 



and the second grade into another ; then the culls, leaves 

 and dirt are put into the garbage box. Grading frames 

 are now used almost exclusively. In the Pacific North- 

 west, the more common type is a wooden frame three feet 

 square, or three feet by four feet, two inches deep, with 

 the bottom of netting or wire screening. The berries are 

 spread thinly upon it and the two grades are picked out 

 by hand. Florida growers prefer a frame one foot by four 

 feet, with the bottom of wire netting covered with coarse 

 burlap. In Missouri, a flat, shallow tin " culling scoop " is 

 preferred. This tapers from ten inches in width at the 

 handle to about 4^ inches at the other end and is twelve 

 to fourteen inches long. It is provided with a receptacle 

 for a strawberry box at the small end. Whatever the 

 form of sorting receptacle used, the object is to expose 

 all the berries so that the culls may be taken out without 

 unnecessary handling of the salable stock. 



As they come from the field, the berries are likely to 

 be more or less sandy if the plants were not mulched. 

 Florida growers brush them gently with feathers after 

 they are spread upon the sorting frame, and the sand sifts 

 through the coarse burlap. Years ago berries were 

 washed much more than at present. One of the best 

 methods has been described by J. McHannon : " Make a 

 number of boxes, each ten or twelve inches square, with 

 sides and ends only ; for the bottom, use a piece of wire 

 netting with a one-fourth inch mesh. Sink the boxes in 

 a tub of clean water level to the top. Pour the berries 

 into the water over the boxes, which should be raised and 

 lowered two or three times. They need not remain in the 

 water over a quarter of a minute. By pouring so that 

 they fall in the water, they are not bruised at all." At 

 present, berries are seldom washed. Washing takes 



