APPLES 



345 



Fig. 19. 



Apple Packing Bench. Paper 

 Eacls in Place. 



packing table is used, on wliich tlie ap- 

 ples are moved directly from the sorting 

 section to the packing trays, there is a 

 saving of two handlings over the system 

 of sorting from box to box and then 

 packing either from box to box or burlap 

 table to box. Especially in cases where 

 the apples ha've to be trucked any dis- 

 tance in handling in the packing house, 

 it is likely to pay to sort only so fast as 

 to supply the packers, even at the ex- 

 pense of storing along with the grades 

 what culls are not detected and dropped 

 in the orchard. 



The bench type of packing table is 

 made about two and one-half feet high in 

 front and three feet high at the back. 

 This may be too high for some packers; 

 but many of them find that they exper- 

 ience less fatigue if they stand upon a 

 board with a slight spring to it, or even 

 a hard cushion, and this will bring them 

 into proper relation with the top of the 

 table. The top of the bench needs to be 

 only so wide as the distance between the 

 cleats on the bottom of the apple box, or 

 a little less to allow for variation. A 

 strip at the lower edge 1x4 inches or 

 2x4 inches, and another to serve as a rest 



for the upper end of the box, constitute 

 all the top that the table needs. To 

 keep the box from sliding off, the cleat 

 on the upper end of the bottom of the 

 box is hooked over the upper strip of the 

 table top. The bench is constructed by 

 first connecting the legs in pairs with a 

 strip near the bottom to serve as a brace 

 and a strip at the top on the same slant 

 as the top of the bench. The ends of 

 the bench-top strips will be nailed to 

 this latter. These sets of legs can be 

 placed from four to six feet apart. They 

 are also braced with three strips running 

 lengthwise of the table — one at the top 

 on either side and one near the bottom 

 at the back. 



Some build this table against the wall, 

 under a row of windows, which is well 

 if the windows are at the north. How- 

 ever, in order that the packer may re- 

 ceive his light from the back and sides, 

 and not be interfered with by the attend- 

 ant in setting on loose boxes and remov- 

 ing packed ones, many turn it so that he 

 can work with his back to the wall. 

 Rollers the width of the apple box are 

 then sometimes arranged at the top edge 

 of the bench to facilitate the attendant's 

 shifting the boxes. Where the packing 

 room is large and the light will permit, 

 the bench-table is conveniently made dou- 

 ble, with packers facing each other. To 

 have plenty of room on the packing bench, 

 each packer needs six or seven feet, plus 

 a few extra inches. This allows for one 



Fig. 20. Paper "Hod," for Use on Top Edge 

 of Box. a Hooks wbich engage the top edge 

 of the box. 6 Cleat beveled at the same 

 angle as the box so that when it is in place 

 the hod is in a horizontal position. 



