64 FRUIT HARVESTING, STORING, MARKETING 



and Mr. Grindley assures me that he saw one consign- 

 ment of Canadian apples arrive on the I^iverpool docks 

 marked with a row of eighteen X's — and they weren't 

 very good apples either ! 



It is customary to call the first grade of all sorts of 

 fruit ' ' select, " " extra, " or " extra select, " or to 

 brand it with as many X's as the shipper sees fit. 

 There is even less agreement in the use of the X's, 

 however, than in the use of the terms just mentioned. 

 The next grade below ' ' select, " " extra, " or " extra 

 select, ' ' is usually called ' ' firsts, " " A i , " or is desig- 

 nated by one or two X's less than the ' ' selects ' ' of the 

 same shipper. The third-grade fruit may go into the 

 market marked ' ' seconds, ' ' but it is more likely to be 

 marked ''X" or "XX"; or if the second grade is 

 marked " A i " the third grade is simply " i . " 



Some attempt has recently been made in Canada to 

 secure a uniform system of grading and marking, es- 

 pecially of fruit for export. The system of marks 

 proposed by the Ontario Fruit Growers' Association 

 is as follows: * 



( 1 ) X A No. I . Sound apples or pears of uni- 

 formly large size and high color for the variety named, 

 of normal form; at least ninety per cent free from 

 worm holes, scabs, or other defects. 



(2) A No. I. Sound apples or pears of nearly 

 uniform size and good color for the variety named, of 

 normal form; at least ninety per cent free from worm 

 holes, scabs, or other defects. 



(3) No. I. Sound apples or pears of fairly uni- 



* The law recently passed by the Canadian Parliament covering this 

 point is given in full in the Appendix. 



