STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 39 



we can say that it makes one of the strongest packages there is, it 

 is also one of the easiest handled and where second-hand ones 

 can be bought it is one of the cheapest, but the question is being 

 agitated as to boxes being used, some growers, if I am rightly 

 informed, in this State are using boxes this year. If boxes are to 

 be used it would seem as though some care should be used to have 

 them of some standard size, that is, when we see quotations of 

 apples by the box, we should know what kind of a box is referred to . 



A number of articles have appeared in the papers quite recently 

 advocating boxes or cases for apples, one of the recommendations 

 is for a box "with two compartments one foot square each (inside 

 measurement) " for ^'■table apples'^ each apple to be wrapped in paper. 

 And there is no doubt but what it would pay to take that amount 

 of care with our nice, high colored fruit, for they are better than 

 oranges and I have no doubt would bring a higher price if the 

 same care was taken with them. If such cases were used, the 

 grower would then feel as though he would like to have his name 

 go upon each package. The same writer also recommends a 

 case for shipping apples with two compartments each to be 

 fifteen and one- half inches square which would hold about 

 the same quantity as a barrel, the case to be made of one- 

 half inch boards for top, bottom and sides, and inch boards 

 for ends and division in the center, but such a box I am convinced 

 would be too large and expensive to handle. It would seem as 

 though there ought to be a call for a package holding about a 

 bushel or one-third of a barrel, the box to go with the apples, such 

 a box is already made for canned goods called a three pound box, 

 very neat, and costing about ten cents. 



We know that apples that go into our retail stores by the barrel 

 and then are measured out and sent to the consumer get very much 

 bruised and half spoiled, when if the customer could buy a box 

 and the box go with the apples he could well afford to pay the 

 extra expense for the package. On making inquiry I also find 

 that the box with two compartments one foot square inside meas- 

 urement is more expensive than one of some other shape. We 

 have had one made as a sample that is practically the same size, 

 each compartment measuring nine inches wide, ten and three-quar- 

 ters deep, and eighteen inches long, this box will hold one-half 

 barrel and is in our opinion as heavy as it is practical to handle 

 well, we would like to hear this question discussed in all its bear- 



