Packing and Grading the Fruit 271 



one man handling a hundred packers, and with this 

 system Hood River has developed a remarkable reputa- 

 tion for its fancy apples. An idea of the precautions 

 taken by this association in handling its packers, and the 

 care with which they are chosen, is best conveyed by 

 quoting their printed instructions to packers : 



INSTRUCTIONS TO PACKERS 



1. A crew will consist of four packers and one foreman extra. 



2. Each packer, before he is permitted to pack for the Apple 

 Growers' Union, must have his name registered at the office of 

 the Union and receive a rubber stamp free. He shall be required 

 to stamp each box at the lower left hand corner when packed 

 with his official stamp. 



3. Each packer shall be required to put up a first-class pack. 

 If upon any inspection any packer be found guilty of putting up 

 a poor pack, or putting in apples not suitable for the pack being 

 made, he shall bear the expense of repacking such box or boxes 

 for the first two offenses. Upon further neglect he shall be dropped 

 from the list of the Apple Growers' Union packers. 



4. Each packer, when a box is packed, shall write with pencil 

 upon the end of the box, in the center near the top, the number 

 of apples the box contains. 



5. Each box of apples shall be packed with about a f-inch 

 to 1-inch swell in the middle of the top and bottom combined, 

 but no box must be packed so high that it will be necessary to 

 cleat the box before nailing on the lid. 



6. Each packer shall receive his pay from the grower in cash, 

 or on a written order on the Apple Growers' Union, which will be 

 cashed by the manager on presentation. 



7. The charges fixed by the Union and agreed to by the packers 

 for packing, will be 5 cents per box for all boxes containing 128 

 apples or less, and 5 cents per box for all boxes packing 4J tier. 

 All 5-tier apples will be packed at 6 cents. This price shall cover 

 any and all packs ordered by the manager. 



