3 - 



occur from time to time. Variations may be developed for individual grower 

 circumstances in relation to the cummulative total for the industry. 



Frederick E. Cole 



Extension Marketing Specialist 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



RESEARCH FROM OTHER AREAS 



(Items included under this heading are for your information and may not apply to 

 Massachusetts conditions in all instances.) 



Research Findings on Bulk Boxes 



The Quarterly Bulletin of the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 East Lansing, Volume 3, Number 1, August 1960 contained an article by I. J. 

 Pflug and D. H. Dewey titled, "Unloading Soft-Fleshed Fruit From Boxes". 

 (Pflug and Levin and Gaston in previous research found that Mcintosh and 

 Golden Delicious apples suffered excessive mechanical damage when poured from 

 bulk boxes by unloading devices that tilt and invert the container.) In this 

 research report by Pflug and Dewey a water submergence bulk box unloading machine 

 is described and data on mechanical damage using this device are presented. 



A pneiimatically operated carriage is utilized for lowering the boxes of 

 fruit into a tank having circulating water. The apples are buoyed upward and 

 out of the box and are carried by the flow of water, being circulated in the 

 tank, to a conveyor. The apples are rinsed with a fresh water spray while on 

 the wood roll conveyor and then excess moisture removed from the fruit by use of 

 a commercial absorber-drier with an air blast. 



Limited tests for mechanical damage to Mcintosh and Golden Delicious apples 

 handled through the unloading machine were conducted. In April 1960 fruit from a 

 C.A. storage free of bruises and other mechanical injury were placed with the aid 

 of a specially constructed crib into the bottom and top quarter of loaded bulk 

 boxes . 



"Approximately three bushels of Mcintosh, averaging 10.3 pounds in firmness 

 were placed into each of four bulk boxes of Golden Delicious, and a like amount 

 of bruise-free Golden Delicious (firmness 10.8 pounds) were placed into each of 

 two bulk boxes of Mcintosh and two boxes of Red Delicious apples. 



"The boxes were unloaded during the regular packing operation for the par- 

 ticular variety and the test fruit removed at three points; namely, fr<»n the 

 water tank just ahead of the removal conveyor, at the end of the removal conveyor, 

 and upon leaving the drier. These apples were placed into tray-pack cartons, 

 returned to cold storage for one week and then examined for damage. 



