194 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



fine fruits. This kind of package will in time supersede all others 

 for both the wholesale and retail trade. If this package is used, the 

 fruit should be carefully graded to uniform size and packed in 

 layers; if wrapped in paper similar to that used for oranges, it will 

 be found to keep better and will command a higher price than the 

 unwrapped fruit. A fancy display label bearing the name of the 

 variety and the name and address of the grower or dealer should be 

 put on each box. If honest work is done in grading and packing, 

 the owner can soon gain a reputation, so that as soon as his brand is 

 seen the purchaser knows at once what he may expect to find all 

 through the package when it is opened. A box, holding about one- 

 half a bushel, would be convenient for the small purchaser in the 

 retail trade. 



If the barrel package is used it should be set on end, and after 

 removing the upper head, firmly pack at the bottom two layers of 

 apples, which should be a fair sample of the entire contents of the 

 barrel; arrange the layers so that the stem end of the apples will 

 face downward. Then fill the barrel loosely until about half full; 

 gently but thoroughly shake the fruit down, then fill the balance of 

 the barrel, rounding it up to a little more than full ; the head is then 

 put on and pressed down into place with a screw or lever and the 

 hoops put on and nailed fast. The ends of the barrel are reversed, 

 and on the end having the faced layers should be marked the true 

 name of the variety inclosed and the name of the grower or packer; 

 this label will indicate the end to be opened. 



It is quite a common practice among many extensive orchardists 

 to sell their entire crop of apples while on the trees, the purchaser 

 doing all the work of picking, sorting, and packing. When the pro- 

 prietor possesses sufficiently good judgment to be able to closely ap- 

 proximate a safe valuation of the crop, and a fair price is offered, 

 that is an economical and satisfactory way of disposing of a crop, 

 as there is much hard, vexatious work, and more or less risk to run 

 in gathering, packing, and handling of the crop. But in case the 

 owner chooses to handle his crop, an immediate sale, as soon as it is 

 barreled and ready for the market, is considered the safest and surest 

 way to dispose of it. The holding over for a better price in future is 

 more or less risky, and oftentimes results in loss from shrinkage and 

 sometimes the necessity of re-sorting and packing, which would re- 

 quire more of an advance in the market price to make the loss good 

 than often occurs. 



All of the crop left after assorting out the No. 1 and No. 2 grades 

 should be classed and treated as culls, and sold to evaporating and 

 canning establishments or to cider makers, unless the owner has all 

 the facilities at hand for working them up. For extensive orchards 

 the profits on the by-products will justify the expenditure for build- 

 ings and machinery necessary for working them up. In some 

 instances the by-products of the orchard have been known to exceed 

 in value returned the receipts from the main crop. Of course, such 

 were exceptional cases. It is also true that no permanent profit ever 



