PACKING FRUITS FOR ROAD OR RAIL. 



369 



disadvantage about large boxes for fruit, in hot 

 weather especially, and that is, the fruit is 

 liable to become slightly fermented. This can 

 be obviated to a great extent by the method 

 of packing, by the careful selection of the 

 fruits, and by employing shallow boxes only for 

 all those most liable to suffer from overheat- 

 ing. Further, they should not have the 

 lids fastened down until the last available 

 moment, and the quickest possible conveyance 

 to the consumer should be provided. For 

 Apples and Pears boxes are especially adapted, 

 and there is not the same danger with these 

 as with smaller fruits when packed in large 

 quantities, as a good deal of air is enclosed with 

 them. As regards home production, however, 

 boxes that will contain half a bushel or a 

 bushel of Apples are the most suitable for 

 good-quality fruits. The large-size boxes can 

 be so constructed that a quarter of an inch 

 or half an inch space between the boards 

 forming the top and bottom will provide for 

 ventilation sufficient for the kind of produce 

 they are constructed to carry. This cannot 

 be done with the smaller fruits, which require 

 the boxes to be secured tightly. 



Many of these small shallow boxes are used 

 for imported Tomatoes, which arrive in British 

 markets by thousands, each holding from 4 to 

 7 lbs. A method adopted for securing these 

 together in packages might well be employed 

 here for other fruits that are sent to market 

 in boxes of similar size and shape. Five or six 

 are placed in a pile as shown in the sketch (fig. 

 1134), strips of wood about 2 inches wide are 



Fig. 1134.— Package of small boxes, secured by wooden band and 

 hoop-iron corners. 



placed at each side and top and bottom, and are 

 then secured tightly at the corners by strips of 

 zinc, or generally hoop-iron, suitably bent and 

 punched with holes for nails. Occasionally 

 two pieces are laid lengthwise, top and bottom, 

 the connecting belt then coming outside these, 

 which gives additional strength. It is common, 

 however, to run stout cord round these pack 

 ages of boxes as a further protection. 

 vol. ii. 



As regards the sizes of boxes now obtainable, 

 and the prevailing prices, the following parti- 

 culars will give some information. For Apples 

 especially, unplaned boxes with lids to be nailed 

 on are provided in these sizes and prices : — 



Gross. Doz. 



Length. "Width. Depth. 8. d. 8. d. 



£ bushel.... lOf in. x 10^ in. x fyw 26 6 ... 2 6 



I „ .... 15 in. 10^ in. 8 in 42 .. 3 10 



1 „ .... 21 in. 15 in. 8 in 66 ... 6 



15 lbs 16 in. 10 in. 6 in 35 ... 3 3 



25 „ 22£in. 11| in. 6 in 44 ... 4 



For Plums the sizes usually made are as fol- 

 lows : — 



Length. Width. Depth. 



14 lbs lOf in. x 10i in. x 6£ in. 



28 „ 22 in. lOf in. 6£ in. 



42 „ 27 in. 15 in. 8 in. 



Gra 



Doz. 

 8. d. 8. d. 



26 6 ... 2 6 

 46 ... 4 2 

 84 ... 7 6 



[glover.] 



Conveniently-formed fruit -boxes, which are 

 furnished with lids to be nailed on, or which 

 can be supplied with framed lids at 9d. to Is. 6d. 

 per dozen extra, are included in the following 

 list. The wood employed for the lids, tops, and 

 bottoms is five-sixteenths of an inch thick, and 

 the ends half an inch thick, the latter being an 

 important aid in the durability of the box. 



Gross. 



Length. Width. Depth. 



11^ in. x 10| in. x 1\ in. 



15 in. 6 in. 1\ in. 



15 in. 11 in. 1\ in. 



15 in. 13 in. 7 in. 



16 in. 8 in. 4 in. 

 20 in. 12 in. 4 in. 



32 6 



31 6 



50 



53 6 



22 in. 



22 in. 



24 in. 



20 in. 



22 in. 



24 in. 



e in. 



12 in. 



16 in. 



10 in. 



14 in. 



12 in. 



12 in. 



12 in. 



28 6 



4i 



8 in 88 



7 in 56 



90 



42 6 



/£ in. 

 5 in. 

 5 in. 



5 in. 



A lighter form, which can be employed either 

 for cut flowers or small fruits, are as follows, 

 being furnished with lids to nail on 



Length. 



12 in. 



14 in. 



10 in. 



16 in. 



10 in. 



18 in. 



18 in. 



22 in. 



16 in. 



Width. 

 6 in. 

 6.| in. 



6 in. 



7 in. 



8 in. 

 Ii in. 

 8 in. 



15 in. 

 12 in. 



De 



x 3 

 3* 

 6J 



4 



8 



54 



8 



4 



Gross. 

 s. d. 

 19 



.... 27 



.... 31 



... 50 



.... 50 



.... 5' 7 A 



Doz. 



s. d. 



2 



2 6 



2 9 



3 

 3 6 



A cheap form of box is 

 appended sizes and prices : 



[blacknell.] 

 also provided in the 



Length. 



8 in. 



94 in. 

 l0^> in. 

 Ill in. 

 12 in. 

 13* in. 



Width. Depth. 



x 6f iii. x 3 in. 



64 in. 34 in. 



64 in. 24 in. 



6^ in. 34 in. 



7h iii. 4 in. 



74 in. 5 in. 



Gross. 

 s. (f. 



12 



13 



13 ... 



15 ... 



18 ... 



20 



Doz. 



s. d. 



1 6 



2 

 2 

 2 

 2 

 2 6 



[CASBON.j 

 65 



