296 



The Commercial Apple Industry 



box or onto the table with 

 sufficient force to cause se- 

 vere bruising. A low or- 

 chard wagon with springs 

 is recommended for haul- 

 ing receptacles of loose 

 fruit. (See Fig. 9.) 



The pointed ladder is 

 the most efficient type for 

 picking in among the 



FIG. 9.- Slatted crate used very branches since it can be 

 generally in the eastern states for placed against a fork or 



pS^f 9 fr m rChard to Hmb without injuring the 



tree. Step-ladders with a 



single prop are useful in picking from the outside limbs 

 or from small trees. 



PACKING (PLATE xrx) 



Since there are two somewhat divergent systems for 

 grading and packing the barreled and boxed apples, the 

 two general methods will be discussed separately. 

 Throughout the East and Middle West, much of the pack- 

 ing is done in the orchard although sheds are increasing 

 in number and popularity in nearly every commercial ap- 

 ple region. Western growers early showed a preference 

 for the packing-house, since very exacting labor and good 

 equipment are required in maintaining the high standard 

 of the boxed pack. 



Sorting and packing barreled apples 



Until recently most of the barreled apple crop was 

 packed in the orchard with the aid of portable packing 



