88 The Fruit-Growers Guide-Book 



only one which requires any especial skill in packing. The 

 6-basket carriers require that the peaches be graded into 

 fruits of uniform size and placed in the little baskets in 

 such manner as to make a good appearance. Some skill 

 is required to do this in the best manner, but it is easily 

 learned, and after a day or so any one who is careful can 

 pack such baskets perfectly. 



As a general rule the peach growers in all parts of the 

 country pack their peaches in especially arranged packing 

 houses. These houses are arranged so that the wagons 

 delivering the fruit from the pickers in the field can drive 

 up to one end or side of the house and unload directly on 

 the floor ot the house. The house is provided with long 

 tables usually having a canvas bottom, and at convenient 

 distances apart on each side of the table are brackets or 

 racks of such size as to hold the baskets of the packers. 

 The packers grade and pack at the same time. Culls are 

 dropped through a chute in the table to baskets on the 

 floor, and the packers put fruits of uniform size into each 

 basket. 



The bushel baskets are usually packed in the field un- 

 less the crop is very defective, necessitating the sorting 

 out of rotten or overripe stock at the house. The Climax 

 and Delaware baskets are sometimes packed in the field, 

 although the growers who make the better packs work the 

 fruit over in the packing house and sort into two or three 

 grades. 



In the great peach growing sections of the far Western 

 states the packing of fruit has been reduced to a fine art 

 and it is in these sections that one finds the greatest uni- 

 formity in the styles of packages and packing. About the 

 only package that finds commercial use in the West is the 

 light pine box having dimensions of about lV/ 2 by 18 

 inches and 4, l / 2 and 5 inches deep inside. The ends arc 

 made of 3-4 inch or 11-16 material and sides of 1-4 inch 

 wood. In these boxes the peaches are packed only two 

 deep, so that the lower layer is not bruised by the weight 

 of the fruit above, and the contents cool very quickly when 

 put in an iced refrigerator car or cold storage. 



