THE GRADING AND PACKING OF APPLES. 



365 



age of apples. The same act defines No. i 

 apples, but it does not define any other 

 grade. This definition reads as follows : 

 Packages marked No. i or XXX shall con- 

 tain well grown specimens of one variety, 

 sound, of nearly uniform size, of good color 

 for the variety, of normal shape, and not 

 less than 90 per cent free from scab, worm 

 holes, bruises and other defects, and pro- 

 perly packed. 



No definition, however, is given of a No. 

 2 apple or of a No. 3. This is not an. ideal 

 system of grading, but it meets with the 

 needs of the apple business as it is con- 

 ducted at the present time, and as it is likely 

 to be conducted in the Eastern States and 

 Canada for many years to come. In an 

 ideal system of grading nicer distinctions of 

 form, color and siz« would be noticed, and 

 a due allowance would be made for such 

 physical defects as scab, worm holes and 

 bruises, but in the actual practice of the or- 

 chard this is impracticable. It is probable 

 that 75 per cent of all the apples in the east- 

 ern part of the continent are sold to dealers 

 who go through the country and buy by the 

 barrel, or for a lump sum all the fruit in the 

 orchard. In either cas« the buyer puts m 

 his own gang of packers, and the apples re 

 graded under the supervision, or supposed 

 supervision, of the boss packer. These men 

 are employed but a few weeks in the year, 

 and of necessity are not skilled laborers. 

 Any effective legislation must recognize 

 this, and will not. therefore, insist upon a 

 system of grading that demands great skill. 

 1^ No. I apple is simply a fairly well col- 

 ored apple of any size, not small for the 

 variety, and practically free from worm 

 holes, bruises and scab. No attempt has 

 bex^n made by the government to define a 

 No. 2 or No. 3 apple. This is left to pri- 

 vate agreement, or fruit so marked is sold 

 by sample. I might add in parenthesis 

 that all fruit must be packed so that the face 

 or shown surface gives a fair representation 



of the whole package, which must also bear 

 the name and address of the packer. As a 

 consequence, when a barrel of Canadian 

 No. I, or XXX apples is exposed for sale 

 the buyer is reasonably sure of getting 

 sound apples, of fairly good color and size. 

 If marked No. 2 or 3, or XX or X, the face 

 will show the quality of the fruit. It has 

 been suggested that in a No. 2 grade apples 

 be admitted having worm holes in the blow 

 end or a slight amount of scab or dry 

 bruises or other defects, that do not cause 

 serious waste or detract much from the 

 general appearance of the apple, but it is to 

 be feared that if this were embodied in the 

 act of parliament the definition could not be 

 given with the defiiiiteness always desirable 

 in legal documents. Such a definition 

 woMld be a workable one between two par- 

 ties who had thoroughly agreed upon the 

 amount of the defects to be permitted, but 

 I am inclined to think that even a most 

 carefully worded definition admitting de- 

 fects would be apt to give rise to many mis- 

 understandings. Yet such fruit has a dis- 

 tinct value, and undoubtedly will be shipped 

 for many years to come. It is much easier 

 for the intelligent and progressive fruit 

 grower to grow an apple of good size and 

 color, free from worm holes, bruises, and 

 scabs, than it is to give a definition for a 

 No. 2 apple, permitting defects, that law- 

 yers would not readily tear to pieces the 

 first time a case were tested in the courts. 

 My advice, therefore, is to improve our 

 methods, legislate for a perfect apple, hav- 

 ing only such defects as can fairly be said 

 not to cause appreciable waste, and in this 

 way not show too much leniency towards 

 the growers and the packer, who wishes to 

 deal with No. 2 fruit. 



But the progressive fruit grower will not 

 be contented with merely meeting the com- 

 paratively low requirements of any work- 

 able legislation. At least three grades may 

 be made in the Canadian No. i class. One 



