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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



from bruises. Formerly it was deemed 

 good packing to allow layers of both the 

 cheek and the flat pack in the same box. 

 It is found to be unnecessary, however, 

 and is undesirable, because it usually 

 necessitates two different sizes of apples 

 for the same box. Most apples are not 

 the same in. transverse diameter as 

 from calyx to stem. Apples are never 

 turned with the stem toward the side of 

 the box. In the effort to make the pack 

 tight from end to end the cheeks would 

 easily bruise. With the cheek pack, a 

 neater package is made by turning all 

 the stems in the same direction. Some 

 packers always pack with the stem to- 

 ward them, and others with the stem 

 away from them. Some packers occasion- 

 ally reverse the end apple of a row to 

 make it fit better. 



For exhibition purposes the stems are 

 sometimes pointed from either end toward 

 the center of the box in the two-two 

 cheek pack. In sizes 80 and larger, and 

 less frequently in the larger sizes of the 

 three-two pack, the top layer is sometimes 

 arranged in the "stem to cheek," or "in- 

 terlocking" pack, in order to present a 

 solid surface of color. (See Fig. 34.) 

 However, this necessitates a much larger 

 apple for the top layer, and Is likely to 

 produce stem punctures. It is therefore 

 not desirable commercially, and is not in 

 favor with many of the judges at the ap- 

 ple shows. Another method of obtaining 

 a solid surface in three and one-half tier 



Fig. 34. . Stem to Cheek, Or Interlocking Pack, 

 Not Commercial. 



Fig. .35. Stems pointing diagonally toward 

 side of box for obtaining solid surface in 

 the large apples packed two-two. Not Com- 

 mercial. 



show apples is to place the top layer 

 with the stems pointing diagonally to- 

 ward the side of the box, as in Fig. 35. 

 Apples placed thus do not stay placed, 

 however, and the practice is not a com- 

 mercial one. 



REQUISITES OF A GOOD APPLE 

 PACK 



The requisites of a good apple pack 

 are (1) a proper bulge, (2) height at 

 ends, (3) uniformity of size, (4) firm- 

 ness, and (5) neatness, including a good 

 alignment. 



Bulge and Height at Ends 



The general rule for the bulge on a 

 box of apples is from one inch to one and 

 one-half inches, top and bottom com- 

 bined, after the box is nailed up. The 

 boxes, then, are always piled on their 

 sides. The reason for the bulge is to fur- 

 nish pressure for keeping the apples tight 

 and avoiding injury from their being 

 shaken about in handling. Formerly, 

 more bulge was given, but to the detri- 

 ment of the apples. Apples of a soft 

 variety, or apples packed or repacked 

 after they have begun to mellow cannot 

 be given the maximum bulge. Double 

 tops and bottoms are frequently used 

 for export apples in order to prevent 

 injury from rough handling in the nets 

 employed for loading and unloading at 

 the docks. In this case but little bulge 

 is given, the top of the curve not rising 

 above the box cleats, in order to prevent 

 bruising from the stiffness of double 

 boards in nailing up. In all cases care 

 should be taken to have the crown even, 

 so that all apples in the top layer re- 

 ceive equal pressure from the lid, and 

 none bruised. Likewise the bulge on the 

 top and the bottom should be made 

 equal by the use of a proper nailing press. 



The subjects of bulge and height at ends 

 are closely related. If the pack is firm, 

 the size uniform, and the proper style of 

 pack employed for the size and shape, the 

 height of the crown will usually be cor- 

 rect. Attention, then, will have to be 

 paid to keeping the ends low. The In- 

 clination is toward too great a height at 

 the ends, with bruised apples as the re- 



