131 



should be one-fourth to three-eighths of an inch thick and of 

 one piece; the tops and bottoms should be of two pieces each, 

 a little less than one-fourth of an inch thick, the two pieces 

 making them more elastic. There should be two cleats for 

 the top of the box and two for the bottom on each end. These 

 hold the top and bottom securely, as the bulge has a tendency 

 to push the thin boards over the nail heads. The boxes gen- 

 erally come knocked down, and can be put together during 

 rainy weather, before the season opens. Four nails should be 

 used for the sides, at each end. Fourpenny or fivepenny ce- 

 ment-coated nails are the best; they hold better. 



Many Massachusetts growers attempted using the standard 

 apple box before they had fruit of high enough quality to 

 warrant placing it in such a package. These growers in all 

 too many cases also did not understand proper grading and 

 packing, so that distributors and consumers have often been 

 disappointed in condition and quality of these apples. Massa- 

 chusetts grown and packed fruit in standard apple boxes 

 therefore has in many cases not the best of a reputation. A 

 few individual growers of really high-class fruit are building up 

 a fine reputation for their product and find an unlimited 

 market right at home. 



The standard apple box probably will be used more exten- 

 sively in the future when Massachusetts Mcintosh, Graven- 

 steins and Wealthies are grown so extensively as to supply all 

 of the local demand for them and still have a surplus for 

 shipping to near-by States and more distant markets. There 

 is little doubt but what within a few years Mcintosh growers 

 will have to look outside of the State for satisfactory markets 

 for their very rapidly increasing crop. The standard apple 

 box is an excellent package for distant markets. 



Some growers near Springfield, Massachusetts, have been 

 using the 14-quart peach basket. This has been a fine package 

 in that it contains just about the right quantity of apples for 

 a family to purchase and use up before loss from deterioration 

 starts. It has filled a long-felt want for a small package. It 

 has many drawbacks, such as being a poor package for hauling 

 to market and stacking in the market or in the retail store. 

 This package probably will have to give way to the proposed 



