l6o THE AMERICAN APPLE ORCHARD 



cooper shop can be easily rigged up. In the apple- 

 growing sections itinerant coopers go about from 

 farm to farm during the summer and autumn working 

 this stock up into barrels. A good handy man on the 

 farm, with a little practice, can learn to put up apple 

 barrels himself. A small kit of tools is required, but 

 nothing very elaborate or expensive. The apple bar- 

 rels made up in this way cost all the way from 15 to 

 35 cents each, depending very largely, of course, on 

 the original cost of the stock. During the last two 

 years stock has been very scarce and high, owing, it 

 is said, to the operation of a barrel trust. At present 

 the production of barrel stock seems to be catching up 

 with the demand, and the tendency is toward easier 

 prices. 



In many places it is customary to use second-hand 

 barrels for packing apples. The common flour barrels 

 are the ones usually impressed into this service. A 

 common flour barrel has the same capacity and di- 

 mensions as the standard apple barrel, and answers 

 the purpose fairly well. However, a second-hand bar- 

 rel can never be made to look, as good as new. In 

 many cases dirty barrels are bought and are used 

 without proper cleaning. In such cases they detract 

 greatly from the appearance of the fruit, and the com- 

 mission man knocks off the price accordingly. The 

 apple grower who has a considerable crop to handle 

 cannot afford to bother with flour barrels. He should 

 by all means use fresh made apple barrels. 



APPLE BOXES 



t 



During recent years there has been a good deal of 

 discussion as to the merits of the apple box. Many 

 growers believe that there is a future for apples 



