296 THE APPLE CULTUBIST. 



to the bottom of another, to make it stand firm. Secure to 

 one side strips for a hand-rail. When making such a de- 

 vice, procure small carriage-bolts at some hardware store, 

 which will cost but little, and hold every part desirably 

 firm. Every part should be made so light that one per- 

 son will be able to move it from tree to tree. In case the 

 ground is not level, let two extension legs be bolted to one 

 side for the purpose of holding it level. 



How to barrel Apples for Market. The first apples that 

 are put into a barrel should be laid in by hand, about as 

 carefully as eggs are handled. It injures fruit, far more 

 than most persons are wont to suppose, to pour it into a 

 barrel. Even when a barrel is half-filled, the fruit will be 

 injured by allowing one apple to drop on another. Fruit 

 must be handled with extreme care. As soon as a barrel is 

 full, let it be shaken thoroughly, press the head in with a 

 screw or well-adjusted lever, like Fig. 122, with force enough 

 Fig. 122 to prevent the apples from moving 



when the barrel is transported, but 

 not with force sufficient to break 

 the skin or bruise the flesh of any 

 of the fruit. If it were not for 

 the necessity of packing the fruit 



A convenient apple-packer. go t j ght ag to prevent j ts shaking 



when the barrel is moved about, it would be much better 

 not to press the apples at all. The reckless manner in 

 which apples are now pressed into their packages is one 

 prolific cause of their premature decay. After the apples 

 have been shaken down, allowance should be made for 

 pressing the head down with the lever about half an inch. 

 When apples are not pressed into the barrel so tightly that 

 the fruit will not shake, almost every specimen will soon be 

 badly damaged when transported on a wagon. 



When to gather Apples. Summer apples, and such fruit 



