66 



the culls are left in piles in the orchard. The advantages of tliis 

 method of packing; are man3^ The fruit is handled Init once, and 

 is not hauled any distance until it has been securely packed, and the 

 danger of breaking- the skin or bruising* is reduced to a minimum. 

 The picking and packing* crews also work as smaller units, and can be 

 more easily directed and do far better work. The codling moth larvse 

 in the culls, after completing their development, will, if allowed to do 

 so, spin their cocoons among the apples in the piles. (See PL XVI.) 



Fruit may be well grown, well colored, and of proper varieties, but 

 if not well packed these conditions are nullified. Apple growers in 

 the Far West are confronted with rather special problems. By reason 

 of their distance from the large markets of the United States, the 

 price they would receive for second-quality fruit would hardly be 

 sufficient to pay the expense of growing, packing, and shipping, and it 

 is incumbent upon them to ship nothing except that which is strictly 

 first class, packed in strictly first-class manner. The cost of transpor- 

 tation, prevailing market price, and size of crop, however, must be 

 taken into consideration. 



The methods of packing depend upon the kind of package used. 

 Eastern grown ayjples are usually packed in barrels. From Colorado 

 and Montana westward boxes containing either 40 or 50 pounds are 

 almost universally used. Some are even going further, using small 

 packages containing half bushels of superior fruit. There are many 

 methods of packing the fruit in these boxes, as ma}^ be required by 

 the purchasing dealers. In all cases it is highly essential that the fruit 

 be packed so tightly in the box that there can be no shifting of posi- 

 tion while in transit; that there be a decided swell in the boxes on both 

 top and bottom if they -are made of thin and flexible wood, as is 

 usually the case in the West; that the paper lining of the box remain 

 unbroken, and that when the fruit is opened it will be attractive to 

 the buyer. 



The more progressive friut grower is well aware of the fact that 

 a reputation for first-class fruit can be obtained and secured only 

 by packing such fruit and rigorously excluding all worpiy or scale- 

 infested apples. Although it is extremely difficult for a packer to 

 put up a box of apples containing not a single wormy fruit, it should 

 be firmly impressed upon his mind that is the ideal to be attained. 



The second-quality apples, which are usually disposed of in the 

 local markets, are those but slightly injured by the codling moth, or 

 undersized or uncolored. The culls and w indfalls should be piled 

 together and disposed of as quickly as possible. They may be either 

 fed to stock immediately or made into cider for vinegar. The value 

 of these culls is considerable, and progressive orchardists count a 

 good deal on the revenue derived from them. From the seconds, 

 culls, and windfalls in one orchard with Avhich the writer is familiar 



