No. 4.] APPLES. 389 



dliiig barrels of apples in and out of the conunon high 

 wagon is hard and expensive labor, and it is apt to damage 



the fruit. 



Grading the Fruit. 



In nothing does the work of the experienced apple seller 

 differ more from that of the inexperienced man tlian in the 

 grading of the fruit. All of our city markets have now 

 reached a point wliere fruit can liardl}^ be sold at any price 

 unless it is carefully and uniformly graded and properly 

 marked. 



Apples should be graded into at least three lots, which 

 we may call firsts, seconds and culls. Sometimes four 

 grades are made, but the three here mentioned are the most 

 usual. The first grade of fruit must be of good size, uni- 

 form in shape and color, free from blemishes and true to 

 name. Second-grade fruit is smaller, not so well colored, 

 but must be free from any serious blemishes. The National 

 Apple Shippers' Association has adopted a rule for deter- 

 mining first and second grade apples as follows : — 



The standard for size for No. 1 apples shall be not less than 

 two and one-half inches in diameter, and shall include such 

 varieties as Ben Davis, Wealthy, TAventy-ounce, Baldwin, 

 Greening and other varieties kindred in size. The standard 

 for such varieties as Romanite, Eusset, Winesap, Jonathan, 

 Missouri Pippin and other varieties kindred in size shall not 

 be less than two and one-quarter inches; and, further. No. 1 

 apples shall he at the time of picking practically free from the 

 action of worms, defacement of surface or broken skin. They 

 sliall be hand-j^icked from the tree, a bright and normal color, 

 and sha^iely in form. No. 2 apples shall be hand-picked from 

 the tree ; shall not be smaller than two and one-quarter inches 

 in diameter; the skin must not be broken or the apple bruised. 

 This class must be faced and packed with as much care as 

 No. 1 fruit. 



The different grades are variously designated, sometimes 

 as fancy, choice, select, prime, XXX, XX, etc., but these 

 designations have no official standing. There is so nuich 

 variation in the practice of packing that none of these marks 

 has any distinctive meaning. 



