Packages 139 



wood (tulip tree), bass wood, spruce, cypress or birch 

 veneer, about one thirty-second of an inch thick. Paper 

 or cardboard boxes have been used to a sUght extent. 

 Most of the early paper boxes were unsatisfactory because 

 moisture from the strawberries penetrated the paper and 

 softened it, so that the boxes lost shape before they 

 reached market, and the paper frequently affected the flavor 

 of the berries. Paper boxes coated with wax or paraffin 

 until they are waterproof have been used quite success- 

 fully, especially for local trade; they have not been as 

 satisfactory for long distance shipments. Paper boxes 

 look neat and make an attractive package. They usually 

 are shipped nested ; some are shipped in the flat and are 

 made up by locking the end. They cost about $2.50 a 

 thousand. Tin cups are used rarely. 



Shape and ventilation. 



The Hallock box is made of two pieces of scaleboard 

 or veneer, one forming the sides and the other the bottom 

 (Fig. 6). It is square, and the sides and bottom are solid, 

 with no provision for ventilation. There has been much 

 discussion as to 

 whether strawber- 

 ries carry better in 

 tight or ventilated 

 packages. Experi- 

 ments in 1904 by 

 the United States 

 Department of Ag- 

 riculture showed, "The principle of a close package is 

 correct, and such a package will materially prolong the 

 durability of the fruit, provided it is dry and sound." 

 The bottoms of Hallock boxes are elevated one-half inch, 



FiQ. 6. — Hallock box. 



