56 BULLETIN 614, U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
SORTING. 
The time required for sorting depends much on the variety and 
condition of the fruit and whether or not mechanical sizers or wipers 
are used. The number employed in the sorting crew depends 
upon the size of the crop and the method of handling. Where there 
are enough apples to make the use of a mechanical sizer economical, 
from two to six sorters usually are employed about the sorting table 
ot the sizer. Men who do not use a sizer usually employ hands to 
sort the fruit for the packers from picking boxes or tables. In some 
cases packers sort their own apples. In most instances more sorters 
than packers are employed. Some growers find it necessary to use 
two sorters to one packer, while a’ few claim that one sorter will 
take care of two packers. A very common crew is three packers, 
four sorters, and one man to nail and wait on the packers and sorters. 
Most of the fruit in the valley is sorted and packed into three grades— 
“Extra Fancy,” ‘“‘Fancy,” and ‘‘C. Grade.’ At the time of this 
study the majority of growers sorted their fruit by hand. | 
It was found that the average number of boxes sorted by one man 
in a day was 73 at North Yakima and 52 at Zillah. This difference 
is due largely to the fact that there is often more codling-moth 
injury in the Zillah district. 
TABLE XL.—Packing-house-labor costs (120 records, Yakima Valley). 
| North Yakima district | Zillah district (56 rec- Yakima Valley (120 
| (64 records.) ords). records). 
Operation. Num- Cost. Num- Cost. Num- Cost. 
ber ber ber 
of a0 of 
rec- Per | Packed | rec- Per | Packed | rec- Per | Packed 
ords. | acre. box. ords. | acre. box. ords. | acre. box. 
Sorting: 2h a. eee cen see eeee 41 | $16.16 | $0.0341 53 | $19.55 | $0.0480 94 | $18.07 | $0.0414 
RACK leer ener eee etree as 45 | 23.82 .05 55 | 19.94 . 05 100 | 21.68 .05 
Sorting and packing........- 7 | 33.08 . 06 Tal ee2Ie00 . 06 Bh sale by - 06 
Nailin ees. G8 See oe 19 4.61 - 0091 20 3.50 - 0089 39 4. 04. . 0090 
Wali Glin oa eet eee ees 3 5. 86 . 0097 8 3. 29 . 0084 11 3.99 . 0088 
Nailing and waiting........- 31 6. 22 . 0132 33 4.34 - 0105 64 5. 25 - 0119 
IIORE TIENT) ere en hae ana a! 6 We? . 0132 17 4.13 . 0082 23 4,94 . 0096 
Other packing labor...-.-.-.-. 5 17.69 - 0409 18 5.12 - 0121 23 7.85 - 0185 
Packing-house labor.....---- 52 46. 07 . 0948 56 45. 64 . 1147 108 45. 84 - 1039 
Warehouse packing.-.....-..- 12} 42.81 200 Gta se lnck cleeic aleeeeeese 12} 42.81 - 1209 
Total packing - house- 
labor charge 1........ 64} 45.47 |. .0984 56 | 45.64 . 1147 1205) 45255 . 1054 
1 Fifty-two orchardists handle their fruit on their own ranches, 12 handle it through an association; the 
64 records combine both methods. 
If all records are considered, it is found that the average sorter 
will sort 60 boxes in 10 hours. This refers to packed boxes, which 
in terms of loose boxes would be practically 90. The average cost 
of sorting for the 94 orchardists of the 120 studied who sort their 
own apples or have them sorted on the farm is $18.07 an acre, or 
$0.0414 per box. (See Table XL.) 
