296 THE APPLE 



$18.00 per hundred. The nails should be cement-coated to prevent 

 pulling out, and of the fivepenny or sixpenny size. The small 

 cleat used in nailing down the ends of the tops and bottoms should 

 be soaked before using to prevent splitting. Four nails are needed 

 for each cleat, and four at each end of the sidepieces. 



Several boxes made of veneer material are being placed on the 

 market. All that have come under our observation have been inferior 

 in appearance, durability, and strength. The greatest objection is to 

 the ends. These are usually composed of a frame of ^-inch material, 

 to one side of which is nailed a thin veneer. These frames are too 

 light to hold the nails for the tops, bottoms, and sides, and will 

 almost invariably split at some point during the nailing. The nails 

 frequently project through the frame enough to tear the hands or 

 clothing. If the box becomes damp the veneering is apt to warp out 

 of shape. As small pieces and waste material are utilized in these 

 boxes, they are usually cheaper than those made of sawed lumber. 



Lining paper. To help protect the fruit and keep it clean, the 

 boxes are lined with white paper, two sheets being required for each 

 box. For the standard box the paper should be \7'\x 26 in., and 

 for the special box, iq| x 26 in. The sheets cost from Si. 2 5 to 

 S2.50 per thousand. 



The paper is placed so that one sheet covers about two thirds of 

 the bottom, extends up the side, and is bent back over the outside 

 of the box. Another sheet is placed on the opposite side in the 

 same manner, overlapping the first on the bottom. When the box 

 is packed, the two loose ends hanging over the sides are brought 

 together so that they overlap on top of the fruit. When the cover 

 is nailed in place, the thin bottom boards spring down, and to pre- 

 vent the lining paper from tearing, a fold or plait is made in it at 

 the bottom. Some packers secure the necessary slack by jamming 

 the paper into the crack between the bottom and side boards. 



Layer paper. The general practice in the use of the layer paper 

 is to place one sheet on the bottom and one on the top, inside the 

 lining paper. In some cases, however, it is necessary to use it be- 

 tween the layers of apples to make the pack of the right height. 

 Colored manila tagboard is used for layer purposes, the size being 

 17. 1 , X 1 1 in. or 19J- x 10.} in., according to the box, and the cost 

 about $7.50 per thousand sheets. 



