DEFINITION OF A NO. 2 APPLE 



AN apple; shippkr. 



The committee appointed by the American 

 Apple Growers' Congress last season recom- 

 mended as a defloition of a No. 2 apple the fol- 

 lowing : 



" No. 2 apples may be i/4-inch less in diameter 

 than No. 1 apples, and not over 20 per cent, of 

 the apples affected by defacement of surface by 

 scab, dry rot, worms or other defects, shall be 

 hand picked from the trees and not bruised or 

 skin broken, shall be of a bright and normal 

 color and shapely formed." 



This definition of a No. 2 apple is of the very 

 greatest interest to the Canadian apple grower. 

 We have in Section 6 of the Fruit Marks Act a 

 definition of No. 1 fruit that is in every respect 

 satisfactory, and there is a constant demand for 

 a definition of a No. 2 ; but the difficulty is that 

 language appears to be hardly definite enough 

 to mark out clearly the degree of imperfections 

 that will be allowed in a No. 2 apple, because 

 it is of course understood that a No. 2 apple is 

 a defective apple. 



The above definition of the Apple Growers' 

 Congress has also been adopted iby the Interna- 

 tional Apple Shippers' Association. I can not 

 help thinking this definition is not workable. 

 The reference to the size of the apple might 

 pass, though it is little better than using the 

 phrase, " Too small to grade No. 1." But the 



most serious objection is the admission of 20 

 per cent, of defective apples, with little or no 

 regulation as to the degree of imperfection in 

 the individual fruits. The inference is that the 

 remaining 20 per cent, would be free from scab, 

 dry rot, worm holes, or other defects. "Virtually, 

 then, 80 per cent, would be No. 1 apples except 

 in the matter of size. Now, size is of the least 

 consequence of the qualities mentioned, so that 

 practically a No. 2 barrel would consist of two 

 grades, viz., fruit with worm hole and scab to 

 the amount of 20 per cent., and 80 per cent, per- 

 fect fruit slightly smaller than No. 1. 



This violates the first principle of tn»e grad- 

 ing, in permitting different qualities to go in 

 the same package. I, therefore, consider that, 

 so far from making matters better, this defini- 

 tion makes matters worse. In looking for a 

 description of a No. 2 barrel, the individual 

 apples must be taken into account, and if cer- 

 tain blemishes are permitted they must be per- 

 mitted in each specimen. It will not do to dis- 

 tinguish between certain specimens in the same 

 package, except so far as to make a reasonable 

 allowance — say 5 to 10 per cent. — for the in- 

 evitable errors that come in rapid work by the 

 class of help that must be employed in packing 

 fruit. 



GRAPES FOR BRITISH COLUMBIA 



WILLIAM FRETZ, JORDAN HARBOR, ONT. 



I have been shipping grapes to British 

 Columbia for at least three seasons. They 

 were all crated and shipped by express, the 

 bunches being selected. So far this market 

 has not been very satisfactory. 



The great objection to it is that as soon as 

 grapes arrive there by freight, customers, who 

 have placed standing orders, will wire cancell- 

 ing all orders, while perhaps at least two ship- 

 ments are in the express company's hands. In 

 most cases these grapes are refused, causing 

 loss. 



I expect to continue shipping to my best 

 customers, But there are others I would not do 

 business with under any circumstances. All 

 goods are shipped C. O. D., but this does not 

 compel the buyers to receive them. 



So far as Manitota is concerned there is no 

 apparent reason why, with proper facilities, we 

 shouia not supply all the fruit consumed there. 

 I have also made several trial shipments of 

 strawoerries to Winnipeg, but have not met 

 with much success. 



A Different Shaped Box Desired. 



craze; & GOODWIN, manche;ster, e;ng. 



For ordinary fruit the barrel is the most 

 profitable package for the Canadian dealer or 

 farmer. Boxes should onJy be used for the 

 highest class fruit, and should contain about 60 

 pounds weight of fruit. 



The box of 36 pounds is too small, and there 

 is too much waste space at the bottom, top and 

 siues. The box should be half as long again 

 so as to give it some appearance in the market. 

 At present it is too short and dumpy. 



The inspection of fruit in Canada and the new 

 government method of grading are working out 

 satisfactorily on our English markets. 



2\S 



The Wagner Apple for Export. — ^Mr. John 

 Brown, inspector for the Department of Agri- 

 culture at Glasgow, reports to the Fruit Divi- 

 sion, Ottawa, that the Wagner apple is much 

 esteemed by some in the trade there, and if the 

 fruit is of good size it is readily bought by cer- 

 tain of the best /buyers. Others again will not 

 look at this variety if they can get Spys or Bald- 

 wins, and class it next to Ben Davis. Its color 

 and appearance are its redeeming points, as it 

 lacks the flavor and juiciness of the two above 

 mentioned varieties. Some dealers say it is a 

 mistake to ship Wagners after the month of 

 December, as they take on scald very easily. 



I like The Horticulturist.— J. C B., Gait. 



