334 



ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



as possible represent the contents of the 

 barrel. 



"Care should be taken to select fruit 

 that will just fill up the circles without 

 leaving any spaces or requiring any to be 

 placed on edge. When the center is 

 reached it should be filled with either one, 

 three or four apples (figs. 3 and 4). 

 Never use a large or small apple to fill 

 out the center space as it would spoil 

 the looks of the whole face. By selecting 

 apples measuring three to three and one- 

 eighth inches in diameter the outer circle 

 may be filled with fifteen apples, the sec- 

 ond ring by nine and three will fill the 

 center (fig. 3). The next smaller size 

 that can be used measures two and three- 

 quarters to two and seven-eighths inches 

 in diameter. It will take seventeen of 

 these to fill the outer circle, eleven to 

 fill the second and four to fill the center 

 (fig. 4). A size of fruit intermediate be- 

 tween these two could not be used. 

 Many growers face all their barrels using 

 only these two sizes. In case the fruit 

 runs smaller than either of these two 

 sizes one must select that size which will 

 make three circles and leave the center 

 to be filled with one apple. In the case 

 of very large apples like Fallawater they 

 may be arranged in two circles with a 

 space in the center to be filled with one 

 apple."* 



Fig. 3. 



FiK. 4. 



Fig. 3. Ananaement of the Face When tlip 

 Apple Runs from Three to Three and One- 

 eiRhth Inches in Diameter. 



Fiff. 4. Arrangement of the Face When the 

 Fruit Measures Two and Three-quarters to 

 Two and Seven-eighths Inches in niameter. 



Filling', Tailing, Heading 



"The filling of the barrel should be ac- 

 companied by vigorous shaking after 

 every halt-bushel of fruit has been added. 



This settles the fruit into its permanent 

 place so that there will be no loosening 

 and rattling after the barrel is packed. 

 When the barrel is nearly filled the up- 

 per layer must be arranged by hand to 

 form a level surface against which the 

 head may press. This operation is 

 known as 'tailing.' The barrel should be 

 filled an Inch or more above the chime to 



Fig. 5. A Good Home-made Lever Barrel 

 Press. 



allow for shrinkage and to tighten the 

 fruit in the barrel when the head is 

 pressed into position.'"* "The exact pres- 

 sure which must be given will depend 

 somewhat on the variety of the apple. 

 . . . The Spy has to be pressed very 

 moderately, as the apple splits readily 

 under pressure; Russets, on the contrary, 

 will stand much heavier pressure without 

 breaking the skin, and appear to require 

 heavy pressure to prevent slackness from 

 evaporation. . . Overpressing will break 

 the skin of the apple, or bruise it severely, 

 inducing decay in one or more specimens, 

 which will quickly cause slackness. . . 

 The process of tailing a barrel of apples 

 Is the severest test of a good packer. . . 

 The characteristics of good tailing is to 

 have the apples of the last two rows 

 placed solidly and evenly, so that when 

 finished the head will touch with the 

 same pressure each apple exposed. "t "The 

 contents of the barrel are then pressed 

 into place with a well padded head speci- 

 ally prepared for this purpose." ** Many, 

 however, dispense with this operation. 



There is a difference of opinion re- 

 garding the use of pads and decorative 

 paper. "A circle of plain or laced white 



• W. H. Alderman, 1912, West Virginia Ex- 

 periment Station, Bulletin 130. 



• W. H. Alderman. 1912, West Virginia Ex- 

 periment Station. Bulletin 130. 



t Bulletin 19, Dalr.v and Cold Storage Com- 

 missioner's Series, Alex. McNeill, 1007. 



•• Report Vermont Experiment Station, 1908- 



inoo. 



