PACKING APPLES 



269 



are well racked, so as to get everj^ one into its place and leave 

 no open spaces, the apples should not project more than a half 

 inch above the barrel even when they are to be exported. At 

 this end of the barrel many packers use what is called a ' ' cushion- 

 head" to put between the fruit and the head of the barrel. 

 This cushion-head is merely a pad of excelsior enclosed in paper 

 and is intended to relieve the apples from some of the bruising 



Fig. !35. — Diagram showing the arrangement of apples in the first and third layers of a 2-2 

 box of apples with 96 apples in the box. 



FiQ. 136. — Diagram showing the arrangement of apples in the second and fourth layers 

 of a 2-2 box of apples with 96 apples in the box. 



that they would otherwise get. They ser^'e a useful purpose 

 and they are in fairly general use among growers. 



Following the tailing of the barrel, the cushion-head is put in 

 place, then the head of the barrel, and lastly the press. The 

 head is then pressed down and nailed in with six nails. These 

 should be driven through the upper hoop and the staves into 

 the head. Never nail the second hoop at either end of the 

 barrel. 



