PREPARATION FOR EXPORT. 35 



know several who did follow our directions and realized from 50c. to 

 SI.-") per barrel more for their crop than the local buyer offered. 



I also append a description of the best method of preparing 

 the fruit for shipping, taken from Herbert Myrick's valuable 

 work, "Money Crops; How to Grow and How to Sell Them," 

 published by the Phelps Publishing Company, Springfield, Mass; 

 price 50 cents: 



What we wish to emphasize here is the proper preparation for market 

 and the marketing 1 of this great money crop. Careful sorting into 

 various grades of quality and honest packing are essential to the lasting 

 success of any brand for we assume that every large orchardist or apple 

 packer puts his special brand on every barrel he fills and strives in every 

 way to g - et up a reputation for that brand. In the Liverpool, England, 

 auction market, which annually consumes from one to three million 

 barrels of American fruit, certain brands have become so well known 

 for honest packing and uniform good quality as to command one to 

 three shillings per barrel above other stock. As Liverpool prices are 

 usually high enough to make a handsome return above the N ew York 

 market, and as the foreign demand is constantly increasing, the 

 American farmer will not fail to give more attention to this profitable 

 crop. Red Baldwins are most popular in England, those from Nova 

 Scotia standing first, Canada second and America third, this classifica- 

 tion being due to Tiiethod of packing largely. The plan pursued by 

 the most successful Nova Scotia fruit growers is this : 



Take the hardwood barrel under the tree for convenience, pick the 

 Apples with care, place them in without sorting, and when filled head 

 the barrel without pressure. Then wheel it into the fruit house, and let 

 it remain there during the sweating or curing process. When ready to 

 make a shipment the process of sorting begins. Have a large table in 

 the fruit house, and on it empty the barrels, two at a time. Apples can 

 be selected much better in this way than if picked from a heap on the 

 floor. Aim to select none but perfect Apples, but as those of every 

 variety have different degrees of perfection in size, form or color, make 

 two classes and mark them accordingly. In packing or filling the 

 barrel, the object is to get into the package the largest quantity with 

 the least injury to the fr-uit. Apples are very easily injured by too 

 much pressure applied to them in packing, and also by being packed too 



loosely. When the barrel is properly 

 filled, instead of putting on the pro- 

 per head in the first place and ap- 

 plying pressure to it, use a false 



cushion head which will play loosely 

 ;hion head is 



hi the barrel. Tlis cushion head is 

 lined, apiece of old sacking answer- 

 ing well for the lining. Considera- 

 ble pressure can be applied to this 

 cushion head without injury to the 

 fruit. Place this cushion upon the 

 Apples, and apply the press (Fig. 30) with a pressure sufficient to get the 

 Apples together throughout the barrel. Then remove the false head 

 and place the head proper, apply the press and complete the work. In 

 marking, use the words "choice" or "medium," as the case may be, 

 stenciled in small letters on the barrel, accompanying the name of the 

 Apple. Then on each package stencil the name of the packer in full, 

 as a guaranty of the uniformity of the package throughout. 



Full and complete instruction as to exporting Apples, so as to 

 save to the farmer the enormous profits sometimes made by the 

 fruit buyers and exporters, are also given in the work above 

 quoted. 



