Handling the Crop 295 



the bottom so that the apples may be rolled out into a 

 box or barrel, has become the most popular picking utensil 

 in the Northwest. Some criticism is voiced against the 

 picking-bag on account of the danger of bruising the fruit. 

 When the picker is climbing about on ladders, apples in a 

 bag may be knocked against the ladder or subjected to 

 more shaking or rolling about than if placed in pails. 

 The chief advantage of the picking-bag is that it leaves 

 both of the picker's hands free for picking. 



A pail with a canvas bottom which may be opened in 

 emptying possesses some of the advantages of the bag and 

 may afford better protection for the fruit. The round 

 half-bushel basket is a very popular picking utensil 

 throughout the East and Middle West. Its value may be 

 enhanced by lining the sides with corrugated paper or 

 padding the bottom to prevent bruising the fruit. Wire 

 hooks on the handles of pails or baskets will aid in the 

 hanging of these utensils on the ladder or tree. 



If the picker is obliged to walk a considerable distance 

 to a sorting-table, as is the case where fruit is packed in 

 the orchard, a pail or basket is sometimes preferred to the 

 picking-bag, for in such instances the receptacles are filled 

 and left at the bottom of the tree to be carried later to the 

 packing-table. A waiter should be employed to carry the 

 fruit from the base of the tree to the orchard sorting-table, 

 since this workman will carry two or more baskets whereas 

 the picker will make the return trip with only one. Where 

 the crop is handled through the packing-house, receptacles 

 for the picked fruit should be distributed throughout the 

 orchard in order that the picker will not lose time in 

 emptying his bag or pail of fruit. In all cases, the picker 

 should be warned against allowing the fruit to drop into the 



