56 



BULLETIN 614, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



SORTING. 



The time required for sorting depends much on the "variety and 

 condition of the fruit and whether or not mechanical sizers or wipers 

 are used. The number employed in the sorting crew depends 

 upon the size of the crop and the method of handling. Where there 

 are enough apples to make the use of a mechanical sizer economical, 

 from two to six sorters usually are employed about the sorting table 

 of the sizer. Men who do not use a sizer usually employ hands to 

 sort the fruit for the packers from picking boxes or tables. In some 

 cases packers sort their own apples. In most instances more sorters 

 than packers are employed. Some growers find it necessary to use 

 two sorters to one packer, while a few claim that one sorter will 

 take care of two packers. A very common crew is three packers, 

 four sorters, and one man to nail and wait on the packers and sorters. 

 Most of the fruit in the valley is sorted and packed into three grades — 

 " Extra Fancy/' "Fancy," and "C. Grade." At the time of this 

 study the majority of growers sorted their fruit by hand. 



It was found that the average number of boxes sorted by one man 

 in a day was 73 at North Yakima and 52 at Zillah. This difference 

 is due largely to the fact that there is often more codling-moth 

 injury in the Zillah district. 



Table XL. — Packing -house-labor costs (120 records, Yakima Valley). 





North Yakima district 

 (64 records.) 



Zillah district (56 rec- 

 ords). 



Yakima Valley (120 

 records). 



Operation. 



Num- 

 ber 

 of 

 rec- 

 ords. 



Cost. 



Num- 

 ber 

 of 

 rec- 

 ords. 



Cost. 



Num- 

 ber 

 of 

 rec- 

 ords. m 



Cost. 





Per 

 acre. 



Packed 

 box. 



Per 

 acre. 



Packed 

 box. 



Per 

 acre. 



Packed 

 box. 





41 

 45 



7 

 19 



3 

 31 



6 



5 

 52 

 12 



64 



S16. 16 



23.82 



33.08 



4.61 



5. 86 



6.22 



7. 22 



17' 69 



46.07 



42.81 



45.47 



SO. 0341 

 .05 

 .06 

 .0091 

 .0097 

 .0132 

 .0132 

 .0409 

 .0948 

 .1209 



.0984 



53 

 55 



1 

 20 



8 

 33 

 17 

 18 

 56 



§19. 55 

 19.94 

 21.00 

 3.50 

 3.29 

 4.34 

 4.13 

 5.12 

 45.64 



SO. 0480 

 .05 

 .06 

 .0089 

 .00S4 

 . 0105 

 .0082 

 .0121 

 .1147 



94 

 100 

 8 

 39 

 11 

 64 

 23 

 23 

 108 

 12 



120 



SIS. 07 



21.68 



31.57 



4.04 



3.99 



5.25 



4.94 



7.85 



45. 84 



42.81 



45.55 



SO. 0414 





.05 





.06 





.0090 





.0088 





.0119 





.0096 





.0185 





.1039 





.1209 



Total packing - house- 

 labor charge J 



56 



45.64 



.1147 



.1054 



i Fifty-two orchardists handle their fruit on their own ranches, 12 handle it through an association; the 

 64 records combine both methods. 



If all records are considered, it is found that the average sorter 

 will sort 60 boxes in 10 hours. This refers to packed boxes, which 

 in terms of loose boxes would be practically 90. The average cost 

 of sorting for the 94 orchardists of the 120 studied who sort their 

 own apples or have them sorted on the farm is $18.07 an acre, or 

 $0.0414 per box. (See Table XL.) 



