i76 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



tlieir boxes secure by means of steel bands 

 and screw-nails. These practices cannot 

 be allowed. They will not do in commer- 

 cial packing. Xo matter how good the 

 fruit, these defects would warrant the 

 judges in throwing the entry out. Xot a 

 single packer had used the proper nails. 

 The best nail is a round, corrugated wire 

 nail roughened so that it holds in the wood. 

 The next best thing is an ordinary nail re- 

 sined or put in salt so that it will rust. 

 Tight boxes are not wanted. The lids 

 should never be nailed along the edges. 

 Proper nailing at the ends and cleating is 

 sufficient. If nailed along the edges venti- 

 lation is hindered and the fruit heats unless 

 continually in cold storage, and the value of 

 elasticity in the sides is removed. There 

 should always be a bilge, and as the apples 

 evaporate the spring due to this bilge goes 

 in to take up the resulting slack. The 

 cleats are essential because when stored the ■ 

 weight of contiguous packages should come 

 on the cleats and not on the bilge. Dove- 

 tailed boxes are not wanted, as they are 

 liable to burst open after being used a short 

 time or if stored in a moist place. White 

 spruce, free from knots, makes the best box. 

 These can be made light and yet be strong, 

 and spruce holds the nails well. 



Some one wanted to know the quality of 

 paper used in wrapping fruit. " The paper 

 generally used," said ]\Ir. JMcXeill, " is the 

 regular duplex packing paper. It is calen- 

 dered on one side and slightly thicker than 

 ordinary paper. Any grained tough paper 

 will answer the purpose." 



An anxious grower remarked that there 

 was no use packing apples in boxes when 

 the Government will not take steps to secure 

 the proper shipment of the fruit. Mr. 

 Carey admitted that conditions were not the 

 best, but claimed they were as good as they 

 had been and growers had shipped with 

 success for vears. 



■■ (Jrchardists object that the individual 

 grower cannot ship his fruit," said Mr. AIc- 

 X'eill, " but it is difficult to ship small lots 

 of any commodity. Farmers should club 

 together and ship in carloads. 



" Cooperative packing establishments 

 have been a success in several localities. 

 Associations are incorporated for the tri- 

 fling fee of 50 cents. The Government has 

 lent aid by sending men to lecture on the 

 advantages of these associations." The 

 good work being done by the St. Catharines 

 Packing and Forwarding Co. was mentioned 

 to show what could be done in this line. 



In reply to a question as to whether it 

 would pay to use the California pack;ige for 

 plums, ]\Ir. McXeill said that it was not ad- 

 visable for the local market, but that if we 

 are to gain a place on the western markets 

 that style of packing must be adopted. 



Mr. Boies has been engaged by the Do- 

 minion Government to give demonstrations 

 throughout the fruit districts. From To- 

 ronto he went to the Xiagara district, ?nd 

 from there he goes east to Nova Scotia. 



A TALK WITH MR. BOIES. 



In an interview with The Horticulturist 

 ]Mr. Boies said : " Growers in British Co- 

 lumbia have made a success of packing in 

 boxes. Why cannot Ontario growers ? In 

 the west selling is done according to 

 weight. A box of pears or apples is 40 

 pounds. Peaches, plums and grapes are 

 put up in basket-crates, four square baskets 

 to the crate, making about 20 pounds alto- 

 gether. Many styles have been tested and 

 these suit best. 



There is a uniform standard along the 

 coast from Mexico to Britisli Columbia. In 

 British Columbia the fruit inspectors will 

 reject all fruit which is not in a standard 

 package. One of the drawbacks in On- 

 tario fruit conditions is the lack of a stand- 

 ard. Packages are allowed to come across 

 the line in any package from a bushel to a 



