168 HATCH EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



use of boxes has been emphasized during the shipping season 

 of 1903 by the great scarcity and unreasonably high price 

 of barrels. Inquiries regarding the use of boxes have ac- 

 cordingly been frequent ; and on this account it has been 

 thought that a brief note of our experience in the depart- 

 ment of horticulture would prove of general interest. 



Bushel boxes of two common patterns have been used dur- 

 ing the two shipping seasons of 1902 and 1903, though not 

 in large numbers. Both early apples and winter varieties 

 were shipped in these packages. In every case the results 

 were gratifying. The apples always brought as much money, 

 or more, than the same quantity of fruit in barrels ; in fact, 

 the cash returns were nearly always greater, and sometimes 

 surprisingly so. In one instance, in 1902, Gravensteins 

 were shipped both in barrels and in bushel boxes on the 

 same day and to the same dealer, the fruit being from the 

 same trees, and graded precisely the same tliroughout ; 

 the apples in boxes, however, were ^vrapped in papers. In 

 this instance the barrels sold at $2 each, and the boxes at 

 the same price. Since the boxes hold very nearly one-third 

 of a barrel, the price was approximately three times as much 

 for the fruit in boxes. 



This case, however, is extreme ; no such greath^ dispro- 

 portionate price was secured in any other instance for box 

 apples. Still, every shipment of apples in boxes showed a 

 fair margin in favor of the package, and several times the 

 difference was a handsome one. 



According to our experience, it seems that the bushel box 

 is especially advantageous for early apples, — say up to the 

 end of the Gravenstein season. Fancy grades of all varieties, 

 however, may be expected to show good results in boxes. 

 Sutton Beauty, shipped as late as Christmas time, realized 

 high prices. 



Our experience also favors the use of wrapping papers on 

 fancy apples, more especially on highly colored and on soft- 

 fleshed early varieties. These papers are best bought ready 

 cut for the purpose, and are supplied by various dealers. 



There are several forms of boxes in use. Those which we 

 have specially examined are as follows : — 



