14 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



January, 1913 



A New Style Apple Box 



Alexander C. Bigg 



AS we have been using an ;ipple box 

 for several years with very t((>od suc- 

 cess and of an entirely different con- 

 struction from those in general use, I 

 thought perhaps it might interest your 

 readers to know sometJhing about them. 

 Some years ago when that good, sensible 

 idea of packing apples in boxes was intro- 

 duced and encouraged in tJhis country the 

 writer was very much impressed with the 

 many good points in its favor, and im- 

 mediately adopted the plan of packing No. 

 1 quiility in this package and the No. 2 

 quality in barrels. 



After a few seasons' use I found that we 

 had considerable breakage in these boxes 

 through the handling of them in transporta- 

 tion, and as a consi>tiuence, loss en route. 

 This was caused partially by imperfect end 

 boards and the outward pressure from the 

 bulge, and also the rough handling to 

 which they are subjected in forwarding; 

 'thus the suggestion came to improve th,^ 

 package, and this we have done in a very 

 simple manner, which I shall explain, but 

 before doing so I will say that the inside 

 measurement of our box is 11 inches wide, 

 10 inches deep and 20 inches long, and 

 contains a government standard bushel. 

 The change of the construction relates 

 chiefly to the ends of the boxes, which in- 

 stead of being the ordinary size, we make 

 them 11x12 inches, the grain running 

 lengthwise and quite opposite to the ordin- 

 ary box. We nail our sides, which are 11 H 

 inches wide, lengthwise on the ends, al- 

 lowing them to project one-quarter inch 

 beyond the sides ; these should be nailed 

 firmly with at least six or seven stout box 

 nails (IK-inch coated) at each comer. The 



s, Burlington, Ont. 



tops and bottoms are the same, practically 

 the same size as the inside measurement 

 of the box, 11x20 inches, but we make them 

 about one-eighth inch Shorter and narrow- 

 er, so that they will drop inside the four 

 walls easily. (I am speaking now of sea- 



The Biggs Apple Box - End View, Width 1 1 in 



soned stock.) The cleats are }ix^Ax'lO% 

 inches and we nail one of these on each end 

 board, across the grain of the wood, before 

 nailing on the sides, so that when you have 

 nailed your sides your box is ready for pack- 

 ing, with the exception of dropping in 

 your top or bottom, which will rest on the 

 cleats ; these we do not nail, as the fruit in 

 the package holds them firm on the inside 



and the cleats on the outside, thus allowing 

 perfect freedom for the bulge and also con- 

 traction as required by the shrinking of t)u 

 fruit. The packing of the fruit is procee<] 

 ed with just the same as in any ordinal 

 box with this exception, that the ordin:ir\ 

 box requires very exact packing, while iii 

 this package one-quarter inch may be per- 

 mitted without any doubt of a tight pack, 

 for the simple reason that the cover is with- 

 in the four w.ills of the box and is applied 

 and pressed direct to the fruit, using a cor- 

 rugated cap between, and when the press i- 

 on the two remaining cleats are nailn 

 across the ends either on the one-half inch 

 or five-eighths inch side, as the fruit may 

 require ; this box is then complete. 



The utility points of this package are as 

 follows: Strength and Durability — This is 

 perhaps the chief requirement in any fruit 

 p 'ckage, and will necessitate one to be suf- 

 ficiently strong to withstand the rough 

 handling to which they are usually subject- 

 ed in the course of transportation. Thi- 

 apple case has been thoroughly tested and 

 upon examination of its firm and simple 

 construction it will readily be conceded to 

 have the strength and durability that will 

 stand the strain or test. Protection of 

 Bulges — To all growers and packers accus- 

 tomed to the usual box for shinping th-ir 

 first-class fruit the protection of this bulg- 

 ing portion of package is highly impor- 

 tant, for the simple reason that no matter 

 how carefully the fruit may be packed or 

 how snugly the case may be put together, 

 unless this part be protected from the 

 weight of the other packages wlien piled 

 during transportation the fruit inside will 

 be more or less bruised and destroyed. This 

 bulge is securely protected in our package. 

 Protection of cleats — The cleats used on 

 this case, which are nailed across the ends 



Removal Sale 



The Sale of a portion of our Nursery Land at 

 Pointe Claire necessitates the removal of our 

 main nurseries. 



This land must be cleared next spring and vfe 

 have decided to offer the stock at a discount of 

 from 25% to 50%. 



All stock is first-class and consists of 



Thirty Thousand Fruit 



Trees of the hardiest 



varieties. 



Ten Thousand Shade 

 Trees. 



Fifty Thousand Orna- 



nvental shrub and hardy 



Perennials, Paeonies, 



etc. 



Write at once for complete list. 



The CANADIAN NURSERY CO., Ltd. 



10 PHILLIPS PLACE - MONTREAL, P.Q. 



Greenhouse Glass 



We manufacture a special line for 

 greenhouses. It is of good qualify, flat, 

 squarelv cut and even thickness, virtues 

 which cannot be dispensed with for lap- 

 ping or butting. 



Shall be pleased to quote prices on 

 application to any of our Canadian depots : 



MONTREAL 



Bub; Lane 



TORONTO 



Mcrccf 2n> 



WINNIPEG 



Mtricel St. 



VANCOUVER 



PcwdD St. 



Pilkington Bros., Limited 



Works at St. Helens, Eng. 



