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ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PRACTICAL HORTICULTURE 



vision made for sorting at some of the 

 sizing machines, all save tvk'o handlings 

 of the apples over the method of sorting 

 from box to box by hand, then piling the 

 boxes of sorted apples to be handled 

 again when taken to the packing table. 

 Where a large quantity of the fruit is 

 concerned, and where it has to be truck- 

 ed any distance between operations, this 

 item is especially important. These same 

 machines and devices also render it un- 

 necessary to pick up each apple separate- 

 ly and turn it over in the hand for ex- 

 amination in sorting, the same result be- 

 ing accomplished by rolling over several 

 of the apples at once with the outspread 

 fingers. Perhaps not the least advantage 

 in the use of any machine is that it sets 

 a pace for the workers. There is nothing 

 at which a man can waste more time than 

 at sorting by hand, with the opportunity 

 afforded for making slow decisions. To 

 be sure, expert and alert help is re- 

 quired for sorting at any of these ma- 

 chines or devices, and one cannot expect 

 to find a man fit for the job at the price 

 of ordinary labor. At that, their use has 

 been estimated by one of the largest 

 dealers in the State of Washington — a 

 man who has used one both on his own 

 ranch and in one of his warehouses — to 

 save from 30 to 70 per cent of the usual 

 cost of sorting. In addition, the sizing 

 machine should make possible the em- 

 ployment of persons for packing, who, 

 lacking an eye for size, could not other- 

 wise be employed for the purpose, and 

 will tend toward reducing the competi- 

 tion among growers in the market for 

 packers. Finally, packers can be ex- 

 pected to work for less per box when 

 packing from the trays of a sizing ma- 

 chine, where they have to handle but one 

 size at a time, or at the most two. 



In a few instances sorters have been 

 paid by the box rather than by the day 

 for their labor, which has greatly cut 

 down the cost; but the difficulty of se- 

 curing careful work under this system 

 would cause it to be frowned upon by 

 most growers. An appreciable amount of 



time can be saved in sorting by the elim- 

 ination of all but two grades. No. 1 and 

 No. 2, with only a few standard varieties 

 allowed in the first. Every added box 

 into which the sorter must sort reduces 

 by so much his output for the day. The 

 Washington State Horticultural Associa- 

 tion, at its meeting in 1913, passed a reso- 

 lution to the effect that "the price paid 

 for packing apples, prunes and pears 

 should be one cent per box less, and tor 

 packing peaches one-half cent per box 

 less, to packers who have to be waited 

 upon, than is paid to those who wait upon 

 themselves." Although the principle in- 

 volved is probably just, still no change 

 can be expected except from a change in 

 economic conditions. In one other way 

 labor can be saved in frhe packing house 

 — by a convenient arrangement of the 

 house itself and of the packing furniture. 

 Although this fact seems self evident, 

 still a trip through any apple produc- 

 ing district at packing time impresses 

 one that many times the fact is lost 

 sight of b.v the grower. Things were not 

 prearranged before the rush began. It 

 will pay to give attention to so little a 

 matter as the arrangement of the rubber 

 stamps convenient for the nailer. 



It is stated that persons grading by 

 hand can be expected to assort an average 

 of about ninety loose boxes of apples 

 per ten hour day, when working by the 

 day. When working by the box, they 

 will run the number up to one hundred 

 and fifty or over unless watched. Pack- 

 ers will do good work at from thirty to 

 one hundred boxes a day, depending on 

 the person and the conditions. From 

 five to seven and one-half cents per box 

 are paid for packing, sometimes includ- 

 ing board, the price varying according 

 to the supply of packers and the condi- 

 tions under which they work. The aver- 

 age between the cost of putting up 

 apples, also pears and peaches, in each 

 of two representative fruit growing val- 

 leys of Colorado, as given by a co-opera- 

 tive association in each, is itemized in 

 the following table: 



