STORAGE OF CALIFORNIA TABLE GRAPES. 21 



chief factors responsible for the poor condition of the fruit on the 

 market. 



Some poor lots of Emperor grapes which were packed in redwood 

 sawdust also failed to hold in sound condition during the storage sea- 

 son. This is shown by the low prices received for certain brands at 

 the auction sales. Shipment under refrigeration and cold storage 

 after arrival did not prevent deterioration due to weakness in the 

 fruit itself or to lack of care in packing. The excellent initial condi- 

 tion of the more carefully selected Emperors not only insured the 

 holding of these grapes in first-class condition for the holiday market, 

 but it also permitted the reshipment by express of a large number of 

 drums to distant markets. 



WEIGHT OF GRAPES AND PACKING MATERIAL IN THE DRUM. 



No figures are available for the cost of packing grapes in cork. A 

 drum 12^ inches in diameter by 15 inches between covers, inside 

 measurement, and smaller in size than that used for the sawdust- 

 packed fruit, was used in 1912 for the grapes shipped in cork. The 

 gross weight of these packages averaged 32 pounds, the net weight of 

 the grapes being 25| pounds, of the cork 2 pounds, and of the drum 

 4| pounds. In packing some of these drums for experimental pur- 

 poses, however, the Bureau workers found it necessary to use nearly 

 double this quantity of cork, or about 4 pounds. When only 2 

 pounds of the filler were used, the material was not shaken down 

 well enough in the course of packing. When the drums were opened 

 on the market, the cork had usually settled 2 or 3 inches from the 

 lid, the top layer of grapes being exposed and generally showing 

 more or less bruising and some decay. 



The drum for the sawdust pack measured 15f inches in diameter 

 and 15f inches between covers, inside measurement, and 16^ inches 

 outside, for both diameter and height. (See Pis. VII and VIII.) 

 The maximum weight of grapes which could be packed in this drum, 

 allowing sufficient space for sawdust at top and bottom, was 35 

 pounds. Many of the packers did not attempt to hold the net weight 

 of grapes above 30 pounds, while the quantity of fruit in, some of 

 the drums was considerably less than 26 pounds, the different pack- 

 ages thus showing great variation. Three typical drums showed the 

 following weights of packing materials and grapes : 



With a gross weight of 50^ pounds there were 33| pounds of grapes 

 and 11^ pounds of sawdust, the empty drum weighing 6 pounds. 



With a gross weight of 5l| pounds, the grapes weighed 34^ pounds, 

 the sawdust 11^ pounds, and the drum 6 pounds. 



With a gross weight of 55-J pounds, the grapes weighed 38 pounds, 

 the sawdust \\\ pounds, and the drum 6 pounds. 



