134 FRUIT-GROWING 



the head is put on. The barrel is filled so full 

 that the apples stand about half an inch to an 

 inch above the top of the staves and the fruit 

 is arranged so as to present as level a surface 

 as possible. The head is then placed over the 

 fruit and a barrel press clamped on which will 

 enable the packer to force the head into posi- 

 tion. This work can be learned only by experi- 

 ence. I could write pages on the technique of 

 heading an apple barrel, but until one has done 

 the work himself no amount of reading will 

 make him proficient. There is a " knack" 

 about it that comes only with practice and some 

 men learn it more quickly than others. I have 

 one packer who has the record of heading a 

 barrel complete in three and a half minutes and 

 I have seen him maintain this speed for con- 

 siderable stretches of time. Other headers, less 

 experienced, will sometimes spend ten minutes 

 or more struggling with a refractory head. 



The label should go on the end of the barrel 

 that is to be opened for inspection — that is, the 

 one that was "faced." Consequently there 

 should always be some identifying mark placed 

 on this end of the barrel at the time it is packed 

 for it is not often convenient to label the pack- 

 ages as they are put up — packing apples is a 

 rush job, but labeling the barrels may easily 

 be done in a slack hour after the rush is over. 



The box package is steadily increasing in 



