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durable; they should then be padded with canvas or burlap. 

 Picking receptacles that open from the bottom are not en- 

 tirely satisfactory at present, and picking bags tend to bruise 

 the apples more or less. Heavy wire bent in the form of the 

 letter S, with the upper part large enough to put over limbs 

 and the lower part to fit the handle of the basket, are very 

 useful. This will enable the pickers to use both hands. It 

 is quite essential that practically all the picking be done by 

 hand as, up to the present time, the patent pickers have not 

 been so perfected as not to bruise the fruit, or else they are 

 deficient in other ways. Patent pickers may be used for 

 stray scattered apples. 



The question of field receptacles for the apples now arises. 

 This all depends upon the future use of the fruit. One 

 must have previously decided whether or not any of the 

 apples are of high enough quality to box. Many Massachu- 

 setts growers are adopting some of the good western methods. 

 Box packing, the packing of apples in packages smaller than 

 the apple barrel, generally the bushel box, is one of these 

 good methods. Some Massachusetts growers, however, are 

 adopting box packing long before the quality of their apples 

 justifies this method. This is a serious mistake. The apple 

 box should be used only for apples of extra good quality. 

 The grower can realize the most money from his apples when 

 packed in this way. For instance, it would be difiicult to 

 obtain $7.50 to $9 per barrel for good Mcintosh apples, but 

 there is an excellent market for A-1 Mcintosh apples packed 

 in boxes at from $2.50 to $3 a box. The fruitstand man 

 likes the box package because he knows how many apples 

 he is buying for a certain sum, and therefore knows how 

 many he can sell for 10 cents and still make a good profit. 

 The apples packed in this way must be sound and of a uni- 

 form size, color and shape. The consumer likes the box 

 package because it is more attractive, and because he can 

 use them all before they decay; satisfaction being given, 

 additional sales are guaranteed. Quality being secured, it 

 is still hard to say just what varieties should be put into 

 boxes in preference to barrels. We are now testing out mar- 



