270 Fruit-growing in Arid Regions 



and repacking it. This association gives the growers 

 instruction in packing and it furnishes printed rules for 

 grading. 



After seeing the two systems in practice, the writers 

 are inclined to consider the latter the best. The grower 

 is made responsible for packing his own fruit, and he 

 generally secures the help, or he works overtime doing 

 it himself; and with a good inspector we think that the 

 association markets a better grade of fruit. Repacking 

 about one load of fruit will make such a lasting impression 

 on the packer that he will never forget what constitutes 

 a good grade. 



We realize that in arriving at this conclusion our ideas 

 are contrary to those of some other writers on the subject. 

 In a recent bulletin from the Idaho Experiment Station, 

 Judson writes as follows in regard to the management 

 of packers: "Few men are fit to pack their own apples, 

 as it is too hard for them to see worm-holes. No fruit 

 union can afford to allow members to do their own packing, 

 and even unorganized communities would benefit greatly 

 by employing the same body of trained packers successively 

 at the various orchards. Even the isolated growers 

 should endeavor, if their orchards are large, to train a 

 group of expert packers and employ the same ones as 

 far as possible year after year. This is the way to build 

 up a reputation that has a cash value." 



Judson seems to arrive at this conclusion after studying 

 the system employed by the Hood River Apple Growers' 

 Union. This association handles its own packers, send- 

 ing them out in groups of four, each group with a com- 

 petent foreman. We realize that this is different from 



