THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST 



97 



Fruit PacKing and Frviit PacKages 



J. J. Philp, AVinnipeg, Man. 



I 



.\' discussing the packing and packages of fruit 

 the fact that different localities have different 

 methods of working, not only as to the differ- 

 ent styles of the package used, but also as to 

 the manner in which they are packed, must be 

 considered. Winnipeg is the best place in Can- 

 ada for studying those several methods as well as 

 for offering opportunities for judging the merits 

 in the Hght of actual results. 



It must not be assumed that because the 

 writer does not api)rove of any particular style 

 or styles of packages, that he is hostile to the 

 trade of the locality from which those jxickages 

 come, nor is it to be assumed that in all cases 

 the packages so. condemned are a failure as a 

 carrying package; or in other words, that the 

 fruit packed in those packages is going to six)il 

 because it is in those packages. What is wanted 

 is a selection of the best as proven by past ex- 

 perience, and then an almost absolute uniform- 

 ity on the part of the shippers, not only from a 

 locality, but from the whole province. 



The advantage of having a uniform jiackage 

 can be illustrated by supposing a merchant in 

 telephone communication with a customer who 

 wants a few boxes of pears. In the event 

 of the order being for Washington Territory, 

 California, Oregon, or British Columbia pears, 

 themerchant hastogive only the name of the place, 

 the variety, and the price, and his customer 

 knows at once what he may expect to get. Those 

 places have a package so nearly uniform that 

 there is practically no variation in the quantities 

 contained, and in every case they will be care- 

 fully wrapped in paper procured expressly for 

 the purpose. Supposing, however, the deal 

 is being made for a lot of Ontario pears, the 

 amount of explanation required as to the size 

 of the box or crate, the quantity it contains, and 

 the condition they are in, will take up time, and 

 require the most minute description. Indeed 

 he will be a most optimistic dealer who will in 

 any but very exceptional cases, and then only 

 after the most careful examination, guarantee 

 that what he has to offer can be depended upon 

 to turn out satisfactorily in every particular. 

 Want of uniformity in size and in ripeness often 

 causes a lot that might otherwise, with more 

 care and attention to selection, turn out satis- 

 factorily, to be considered an inferior lot. 

 Their value as a first-rate article for the retail 

 merchant to handle is very much lessened. 

 That the lx)x used by the California packers 



presents, the best ])ackage for the shipment of 

 pears, and peaches, will be admitted by all who 

 have had an opportunity to judge their merits 

 and compare them with those in use in Ontario. 

 Not a little of their superiority consists in the 

 convenience with which cars can be loaded, 

 by putting the boxes on their side across the car, 

 leaving a space of from one and a half to two 

 inches. Strips should be laid on the top of the 

 boxes flush with end and lightly tacked to each 

 box. Have the ends of the strips come out 

 close to the side of the car. The next row 

 can then be placed on the top of the first. They 

 can be piled six or eight tiers high, and only 

 touch each other at the ends. Bring the piles 

 forward to nearly the centre of the car, and then 

 put in a strong stanchion, nailing firmly. The 

 car is then loaded so firmly that the fruit would 

 hardly be displaced if the car was derailed. 

 In refrigerator cars which would be used for 

 this purpose a perfect system of ventilation will 

 thus be secured, and every box will get the 

 benefit of the circulation of fresh cool air, whereas 

 w ith the numerous and varied collection of pack- 

 ages in use in Ontario this would be impossible. 



This is the way I would recommend for ship- 

 jiing all early apples, such as Red Astrachans, 

 Alexander, Wealthy, and indeed, all varieties, 

 either cooking or table apples, up to the time 

 that the fall apples come in, when they can be 

 more profitably shipped in barrels. 



Inquiries made among the merchants through- 

 out the country has shown that not a few of 

 them are in favor of boxes for even the earlier 

 fall varieties. As some of them put it, they can 

 sell a box often where the capacity or the facil- 

 ities of the customer would not allow him to 

 handle a barrel, and when he finishes that one 

 he comes back for another. 



In grapes the present style of baskets is 

 probably as good as anything that can be pro- 

 cured, but something ought to be done to cempel 

 a strict uniformity of shape and weight. The 

 manner of loading cars with these baskets can, 

 however, easily be improved on. To pile those 

 light, fragile baskets as they often are, 12 to 14 

 high, with the weight of all the upper ones rest- 

 ing on the lowest tier, is almost certain to result 

 in those beneath being destroyed. I have seen 

 them crushed almost flat. This could be overcome 

 by a light double deck, which would not only 

 carry the weight of the upper half but secure 

 much better ventilation 



Prince Fdward Island Notes 



Father A. E,. DurKe, Alberton 



THERE has lieen htlle trouble this year in 

 finding a local market for all the apples 

 harvested here last fall, and many more. 

 Still, we see by the press that Mr, F. G. 

 Bovyer, of Georgetown, with Senator Ferguson, 

 has made the usual winter shipment of Ben 

 Davis api)les to Britain. The prices for prime 

 fruit of the long-keeping .sorts on the other side 

 have lieen all that could be desired. 



NO BKE.AKDOWNS 



In striking contrast to last year, this year 

 has les,sened the risk to young and closely planted 

 orchards of any breakdowns from snowbanks to 

 a minimum. The ravages of the past season 

 are, however, (piite manifest in jilaces, and 

 something should l)e done to clear away the 

 ij damaged and disea.sed ])orti(ms of orchards 

 H this spring. The instructor could not possibly 

 it get round to all who requested his services la.st 

 ■\ season; it is to be hoped that at Jcast the neces- 

 1 saty knowledge of his methods will be well 

 within the reach of all this year. It is useless 

 to plant trees if they are not kept in such a way 



as to be of use and profit to the growers. Be- 

 sides a badly kept orchard, like badly kept 

 fields, are a severe reflection on the owners, as 

 well as a general source of disedification. Re- 

 pair the damaged trees of last vear or remove 

 them. 



DEFINE two's and TUKEE'S 



Commercial agent at Leeds, lackson, writes, 

 asking for a pro])erly jiacked no. 2 apple as an 

 essential to the British trade. "It is ju.st as 

 necessary that the XX (no. 2) api)les should be 

 as well graded and packc<i as XXX (no. 1), and 

 it is from these apples that the farmers of 

 Canada would make their largest |)rofit, because 

 if they are not shipped they are an absolute loss." 

 However much or little we mav a.ssent to this 

 latter opinion, there can be no doubt but that 

 the time is riix- for a more complete classification 

 of our apples under the Marks .Act. 



BKITISH COLUMBIA AIM'UES 



The ex-president of the Fruit Growers' Asso- 

 ciaticm of Prince Edward Island, Mr. Edward 

 Bayfield, is sojourning in British Columbia, and 



writes us in glowing terms of the fruit of that 

 rich province. 'The sooner we of the east dis- 

 abuse our minds of the idea that British Colum- 

 bia cannot grow superb apples," he says, "the 

 better; for now that they have taken to their 

 production in the higher areas among the moun- 

 tains, they are much sujierior to the product of 

 the low sections. I have eaten Spys Out here 

 that were superior in every way to the best 

 Spys of Ontario. The fruit-growing possibil- 

 ities of the country are immense. It is more 

 than likely that Japan will afford a good market 

 for much of the coast fruit. By Commercial 

 Agent McLean's report we see that they would 

 gladly exchange their oranges for our apples." 



THe Fruit Trade at Montreal 



E. H. Wartman, Montreal 



The apple may well lie called the king of 

 fruits. Its longevity under proper conditions 

 makes it bring a large revenue to our coun- 

 try. The juices and tender ])ulp make it a 

 general favorite. At present Montreal has a 

 very short crop of apjiles stored, Inve thousand 

 barrels would be the extreme figure, and of these 

 perhaps 60 per cent, are second quality. 



A large number of barrels are marked Talman 

 Sweets. This apple is best known in country 

 homes where it is called the family apple. In 

 the city it is not thought so much of and usuallv 

 brings a low price, not as much as it should, 

 considering its good keeping ciuahties and 

 adaptation to various uses. 



One apple a day furnished each inhabitant of 

 Montreal and suburbs, would mean 800 barrels: 

 one week at this rate would completely exhaust 

 present store. However, when prices run $i 

 to S5 a Ijarrel for No. 1, the average mechanic 

 gets a small supply. The price is Ukely to nin 

 much higher before the new crop is fit for use in 

 July. 



Bananas and oranges, however, are within 

 the reach of the masses. Fifteen years ago 

 this month I paid 50 cents per dozen for bananas, 

 to-day 20 cents would buy the same. This is 

 due to the large production on banana planta- 

 tions, encouraged by increased consumption. 

 It is not an uncommon thing to get a piece of 

 banana pie, but 20 years ago it was one of the 

 unknown dishes. The month of March, too, 

 generally brings large quantities of maple sugar 

 and syrup. This has a tendency to make dull 

 sale for fruits of all kinds. Although one kind 

 of fruit may run very high in price, yet there is 

 always a substitute to appease the appetite. 

 The export ajjple trade has not been as remun- 

 erative to some Montreal men as could have 

 been wished this year, but they consider it large- 

 ly their own fault. Men of 20 years' experi- 

 ence have lost money although it was a record 

 year for making money. No. 1 Spy, Baldwin, 

 King, Russet, and Greening have sold through- 

 out the season at 18 to 2.5 shillings What 

 better prices could be expected. Buyers should 

 remember that goods well bought are half sold, 

 but it takes some artisans a long time to master 

 the ait of packing fruit. This is the secret of 

 .success, 



Oxir Nova Scotia Letter 



G. H. Vroom 



Perhaps in no other province in Canada is 

 there such a diversity in the methods employed 

 ii» the fruit industry as in Nova Scotia, The 

 fruit houses along the railway are used for storing 

 as well as ])acking fruit, I believe I am well 

 within the bounds of truth when I say that H0% 

 of the fruit stored in the fruit houses is packed 

 by the grower and bought by the dealer in that 

 condition, and the result is lack of uniformity 

 and a very irregular pack. From the up-to-date 

 grower the dealer gets a first-class jiack, but from 

 the grower who packs his fruit according to the 

 ideas that have been handed down from one 

 generation to another by people who do not 

 realize that the world is moving and that the 

 consiuning public are demanding a better article, 

 the dealer gets poorly graded fruit,' 



