The Apple. 



63 



the greater part are poured in from the basket. The head 

 of the barrel is then placed on the apples and the upper 

 hoops driven up sufficiently so that the head may be 

 pressed down to its place. The press is then applied as 

 shown in Fig. 20, taking care that all parts of the head 

 ^ settle evenly. It is often necessary to 

 change the bearing point of the press 

 to accomplish this. The hoops should 

 next be driven down to their proper 

 place, when the head should be se- 

 curely nailed by driving small nails 

 through the uppermost hoop at such 

 an angle that they will enter the head 

 near its surface. For long transpor- 

 tation, it is well to tack a slender strip 

 of wood inside the chine at each end of 

 the barrel, nailing downward into the 

 staves and against the head so as to 

 give additional support to the ends of 

 the latter. The head that formed the bottom of the barrel 

 in filling is generally stenciled, and is expected to be re- 

 moved when the barrel is opened, but the dealer often opens 

 the unstenciled head, to satisfy himself as to the quality of 

 the packing. 



6t. Influence of §:rowtli conditions on the character of 

 apples. The season of maturity of apjales, and the length 

 of time they keep, depend much upon the climate in which 

 they are grown. The winter apples of northern United 

 States are autumn apples when grown farther south. 

 Some winter apples of the northern states are early autumn 

 apples when grown in Georgia. Many excellent northern 

 varieties have little value farther south, and vice versa. 



for packing 



