264 



GRADING AND PACKING 



false head is merely a round piece of board slightly smaller than 

 the barrel head and padded on one side. This is used when the 

 barrel is nearly full, for pressing the apples down in order to 

 get a smooth surface on which to lay the "tail" or last layer of 

 the barrel. In packing good fruit one ought also to have 

 corrugated pasteboard heads, paper caps and lace circles. The 

 corrugated cardboard heads are circular and just large enough 

 to fit into the head of the barrel and are designed to prevent 

 bruising of the face layer of apples. It ought to be said here 



that some orchard men prefer 

 7 1 not to use these, but others 

 believe that they serve a use- 

 ful purpose. The paper cap 

 is a similar affair except that 

 it is of paper and may also be 

 printed (Fig. 152), and is de- 

 signed as an additional pro- 

 tection and for advertising 

 purposes. The lace circle 

 (Fig. 124) is merely for 

 ornament, to make the barrel 

 look attractive when opened 

 in the market. 



The operation of packing 

 a barrel of apples in new bar- 

 rels may now be given in de- 

 tail. First, nail one head of 



the barrel, using about six five-penny nails; next, loosen the 

 hoops at the other end and take out this head ; third, drive down 

 the quarter hoops snug and nail them with three small nails (lath 

 nails are good), which should -always be clinched on the inside of 

 the barrel, otherwise many apples will be damaged. Put into the 

 barrel a corrugated head with the smooth side up, a paper cap 

 and a lace circle. Be sure that the latter is put in with the best 

 side down so that when the barrel is opened in market that side 

 will be seen and not the reverse side. 



The barrel is now ready to be filled. Select the apples for 



FIG. 128. 



Swing-bail basket used in packing 

 apples in barrels. 



