CHAPTER XVII 

 PACKING AND GRADING THE FRUIT 



THE idea of packing tree-fruits in what we may term 

 fancy packages is not an old one, and there is no reason 

 to suppose that we have reached perfection. Yet there 

 is little doubt that the western fruit-grower now leads 

 in putting his fruit on the market in attractive packages. 

 He prides himself on this point. Whether an indication 

 of cleverness or an outgrowth of necessity, it has been 

 demonstrated that it pays to market fruit in neat and 

 attractive packages. 



It seems to us that the western fruit-packages have 

 four points of merit: they are neat and attractive; they 

 are of convenient size, that is, they suit the buyer of 

 fancy fruit better than a larger sized package; they 

 are of convenient form for shipping in car-load lots; and 

 they carry the fruit in excellent condition. 



Probably the western grower may claim the credit 

 for demonstrating that the first two points are worthy 

 of consideration in choosing the fancy fruit-package. 

 There is little doubt, however, but that the distance from 

 market has had a marked influence on the evolution of 

 the fruit-package in the West. Western growers have 

 largely adopted the ideas worked out in California. 

 Considering our distance from the large markets, it would 

 be absurd for the western grower to try to market his 



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