PACKING FRUITS FOR ROAD OR RAIL. 



373 



One of the best forms of crate has been 

 several times shown at the Royal Horticultural 

 Society's Fruit Exhibitions in the Crystal 

 Palace, Sydenham (fig. 1138). It is from a 

 Channel Island grower, and, though heavy, is 

 admirably constructed for the safe carriage of 

 choice fruits, as was proved by the condition of 

 the samples it contained. It is in the form of 

 a deep cupboard, with double doors opening in 

 the front. Three tiers of shallow trays are 

 provided for, four in each tier, and 

 each tray holds three oblong, shal- 

 low handle -baskets, the handles 

 coming into a line in the centre of 

 the trays. An upright wooden bar 

 is secured to the front of the tray 

 and rises to the level of the basket- 

 handles, where it is hinged to an- 

 other bar extending the length of 

 the tray, and thus fixing the three 

 handles, when it is secured by a 

 metal loop at the other end. It is 

 chiefly used for Grapes, and will 

 convey a considerable weight of the 

 best fruit quite safely. 



Somewhat similar crates are em- 

 ployed for early Strawberries, which 

 are placed in punnets, then these are 

 packed in trays, and the latter are 

 placed like drawers in the case (fig. 

 1139). For these fruits cheaper 

 crates are sometimes formed of stout 

 lath or battens, and the trays are 

 filled in from the top, a false bottom 

 being inserted above each tray, or 

 these are constructed with raised 

 corners so that the upper trays are 

 raised clear of the fruit in the lower 

 ones. Many modifications of this system are 

 in use, and it will be readily seen how it can 

 be altered to suit special circumstances. 



Barrels. — Though barrels are seldom in re- 

 quest for British-grown fruits, yet such enor 



one buying or selling Apples, Quinces, Pears, 

 or Potatoes in this State by the barrel shall be 

 understood as referring to the quantity or size 

 of the barrel specified in this section, but when 

 Potatoes are sold by weight the quantity consti- 

 tuting a barrel shall be 174 lbs. No person 

 shall make, or cause to be made, barrels holding 

 less than the quantity herein specified, knowing, 

 or having reason to believe, that the same are to 

 be used for the sale of Apples, Quinces. Pears, 



Fig. 1139— Crates for punnets of Strawberries and other berries. 



or Potatoes, unless such barrel is plainly marked 

 on the outside thereof with the words, ' short 

 barrel', in letters of not less than 1 inch in 

 height." 



In Canada, also, a statute was passed in 1901, 



mous quantities of Apples are sent into this | of which the principal clause in reference to the 



c k ' i r\ i • _ • j_"i •_ i „„„1~ 1~ -t-V.^ ■f^U/^tTTivA/-,. . a All Ainiloi -nnnlrprl 



country from America and our Colonies in this 

 way that the method demands some attention 

 here. Great efforts have been made to ensure 



barrels is the following :— " All Apples packed 

 in Canada for export for sale by the barrel, in 

 closed barrels, shall be packed in good and 



the uniformity in size of the barrels used, and strong barrels of seasoned wood, having dimen- 



in 1899 a law was passed in the State of New 

 York which provides that " A barrel of Pears, 

 Quinces, or Potatoes shall represent a quantity 

 equal to one hundred quarts of grain or dry 

 measure. A barrel of Apples shall be of the 

 following dimensions: — Head diameter, 17-| 

 inches; length of stave, 28 J inches; bulge, not 

 less than 64 inches outside measurement. Every- 



sions not less than the following, namely: 26J 

 inches between the heads, inside measure, and 

 the head diameter of 17 inches, and a middle 

 diameter of 18 J inches, representing as nearly 

 as possible 96^ quarts ". These barrels hold 

 practically three English bushels of Apples, and 

 in the filling it is permitted to face two or 

 three layers of Apples at each end. Those 



