PACKING 



1187 



boxes or babkets made of thin veneers fastened togethi 

 with tacks or with wire staples, are generally usci 

 though pints ind e\en snnller sizes aie popular in son 

 markets espiculh foi such delnate truits as rasj 



1609. Bushel 



berries. Square baskets, a little larger at the top than 

 at the bottom, are preferred at the East, while in the 

 Mississippi valley the square "Hallock" or oblong 

 "Leslie" boxes are mostly used. In either case a cer- 

 tain number, usually either 10, 24 or 32, are placed in light 

 slat crates for shipment. Fig. 1607. The boxes or baskets 

 are tilled in the field by the pickers. They are inspected 

 more or less thoroughly at the packinghouse, where the 

 process of packing usually consists in arranging the top 

 layers so that the box or basket shall be evenly, but 

 slightly, rounding full, so as to avoid crushing, and yet 

 not seem slack-filled on reaching market. 

 In some cases, notably in Florida, the 

 boxes are emptied and repacked from 

 the bottom. 



Peaches are regularly marketed in a 

 greater variety of packages than any of 

 our fruits. In Georgia and neighboring 

 southern states, a light crate holding 6 

 4-quart baskets is used. In Delaware 

 and throughout the peninsular region, a 

 round, rather deep basket holding five- 

 eighths of a bushel is used. Fig. 1608. 

 It has no handle and usually no cover, 

 and cars have to be specially shelved for 

 carrying it. In New Jersey, the Hudson 

 River cfmntry, and New England, a similar basket is 

 used, but holding only 16 quarts. In Michigan custom 

 varies, but the bulk of the shipments are in long, flat- 

 handled baskets of various sizes — quarter, third, and 

 half bushel. The fruit is usually covered with colored 

 netting, and it is sometimes further protected by slat 

 covers. Another Michigan package is a rather heavy, 

 round bushel basket, with small side handles and a stout 

 cover, held in place by a projecting slat that is sprung 

 under the handles. Fig. 1609. In southern Illinois and 

 the Mississippi valley generally, the popular package was 

 for many years a third-bushel box with sawn ends and 

 middle-piece 5 x 8 in., with veneer sides 22 in. long. Of 

 late years it has been 

 replaced, to some ex- 

 tent, by 4-quart bas- 

 kets like those used 



smaller packages it becomes a rather difficult art to 

 so place each fruit that the packane shall be full, and 



yet lia\ < ■!' I'm I"|> !iwr- ^r:,i,rl Iji-h enough to 



be cru-lp 1 '• i ' r. Ir:!i. '',i: . !i;aice to run of 



just Slllh ' . ] .■ I .1 ■ • I ■ I- ,.,^^y gljjifj Jjy 



packin- ; i. :; ;.[. ..f another, the 



probleiu 1, Luii.|;.uaii.. r, . .iji| .u. li.u.,, with the Geor- 

 gia 4-quart basket, some of the small early kinds, like 

 Tillotson, often run so that three layers deep just fills 

 the basket properly. Again, with the largest Elbertas, 

 two layers, one on top of the other, are sufficient, but the 

 great bulk of the crop will not pack on either of these 

 plans, and it is necessary to introduce a bioken lajer 

 between the bottom and top la\Lrs buch packing re 

 quires skill and experience in ouUi to j i lu i s itisfac 

 tory results. When the fruits run tin ^ 



must bo assorted or they cannot I i tlj 



It is slower and more expensn i j mg 



the fruit into large baskets, bui like 



peaches, endure distant shipment u i h I i a small 

 than in large packages, and expujtnou js iinstantly 

 demonstrating that extra care in issorting and packing 

 fruit is always well paid for b^ increased market prices 

 All of these packages or modifications of them, are 

 also used for plums, pears, earl_\ apples, tomatoes and 

 many other products. Which one to select for use in any 

 given ease will depend on the character of the product, 

 the distance from market, the available supply of skilled 

 labor and on the usages and preferences of the market 

 to be supplied. The latter is an important factor and 

 one that sometimes changes in the s.ame market with 



but 



crates. C.nlifornia 

 peaches always come 

 in rectangular 20- 

 pound boxes, each 

 fruit carefully se- 

 lected and wrapped 

 in paper. With the 

 larger of these pack- 

 ages, like the bushel 

 and five-eighths 

 bushel baskets, the 

 act of packing con- 

 sists, as with straw- 

 berries, in simply ar- 



; top .' 



' the 



Georgia and Florida. 



1611. Forms of C 



different seasons of the year. Thus, with tomatoes in 

 Chicago and other western markets, the supply early in 

 the spring is largely from Florida, where the custom is 

 to pick green, wrap in papers and pack in the Georgia 

 6-basket crate. Fig. 1610. This style of package and of 

 packing now dominates the market and is the recognized 

 standard for tomatoes during March and April. During 

 thelastof May and first of June, Mississippi tomatoes be- 

 gin to appear in these markets in iiicreasiusr (luantities. 

 These are packed without wrapping, in ti;it 4-basket 

 crates. Being fresher than the Floricla stoik, they are 

 preferred by the trade, and from this time cm wrapped 

 tomatoes in 0-basket crates are distinctly at a discount, 

 even if of good quality. 



Grapes are likewise marketed in a variety of packages. 

 At the South they are often shipped in' the 6-basket 

 c-ratp. Fancy kinds are sometimes packed in round 3- 



1 "d l".\cs that are crated for shipment. The great 



111 ill "I I III' -ra|.e crop outside of California is, however, 

 I'll kill 111 'i-ln pound Climax baskets. Fig. 1611. These 

 ■i.i' "III. .111.' baskets with a ban. lie.. Tli.y are made with 

 sawn bottoms and solid vi i . . r - i.l -. \ i h :i solid veneer 

 cover fastened down witli , ■ !, . ilil.irnia grapes 

 are packed in square. 5-). .-n. I i .1. ..f two pieces 

 of thin veneer crossed c.i. i . , .m.l bent up to 

 form the sides, with till- ii I . . i . . - . .f Ii.-I.l in 

 placebyalighttinbin.liiiL' I r i , i .i-hl.of 

 these baskets are plac.l i , jn ,,r 40- 

 pound package. In nKin . , . -, lii. .i , - uv,- cut 



from the vines some hours i}, a.L.ui. i ...1 (.;.. kiut;, so that 

 the stems mjiy lose their brittle freshness and become 

 limp enough to lie close together, thus preventing undue 

 shrinking in transit. Each bunch is carefully exam- 

 ined and all imperfect berries are removed with sharp- 

 pointed clippers. The packer should incline the basket 

 in such a way that the packing may begin in one end, 

 thus allowing the top, or face, to be made of the 



