52 MAKING HORTICULTURE PAY 



PACKAGES FOR APPLES 



As to packages for apples, W. A. Irvine of Greene 

 county, Missouri, writes : " I used both barrels and 

 boxes last year with satisfaction from both for their 

 special use, but would have used proportionately 

 more boxes than barrels if I could have gotten 

 them. I used both the sawed, smooth on one side, 

 and the veneer boxes, but the latter gave poor satis- 

 faction, as they were too frail and the cost was the 

 same, 10 cents. The sawed box was made of gum 

 wood, which is rather brittle and a cherry color. I 

 would prefer white wood, which they use in the 

 northwest and California. 



" Box stuff can be easily handled, and unskilled 

 labor can put it together. In marketing over 

 4,000 bushels of apples last year, more than half 

 were packed in boxes. All the number ones of 

 Jonathan, Grimes, Winesap, York, Ingram, and 

 Gano, also number two Jonathan, went in boxes. 

 I could have sold number one Ben Davis for 25 

 per cent more had they been in bushel boxes, in- 

 stead of barrels. Yellow Bell and Transparent 

 should be packed like peaches, as they are too ten- 

 der for ordinary packages. They should be picked 

 with extreme care. 



" I face both barrels and boxes with the same 

 class and quality of apples they contain. The boxes 

 bulge one-half inch top and bottom to prevent 

 bruising when headed. I use the corrugated straw 

 board mat, top and bottom, both in boxes and bar- 

 rels. The boxes are stenciled on both ends with 

 name of variety, grade and grower's name and 

 locality. The boxes hold not quite one bushel and 

 weigh from 45 to 52 pounds. 



