CONTROL OF DRIED-FRUIT INSECTS IN CALIFORNIA. 9 
Of these cartons 16 were sealed as shown in Plate III, figure 1, 
and 16 left unsealed. Of the unsealed ones, 8 were so prepared that 
the wrapping paper was slightly torn. This condition is one fre- 
quently found in packages of figs put up by the girls in the packing — 
house. 
The 32 cartons prepared as described above were brought to 
Sacramento and placed in an insect-tight box in which were then 
placed large numbers of larve and adults of Plodia interpunctella, 
Carpophilus hemipterus, and G'nathocerus (Echocerus) maxillosus Fab. 
The box was then sealed so that the insects could not escape, and 
they were given every chance to infest the cartons. 
At the conclusion of these experiments, April 16, 1914, all but two 
of the unsealed 
cartons were found 
to be infested, 
while the sealed 
ones showed no 
evidence of insects 
having entered. 
It was observed 
that the larve of 
Plodia interpunc- 
tella had in some 
u ik Fig, 4.—Diagram of carton, showing method of applying label to protect 
p laces broken inclosed cereal from insect attack. (Author’s illustration.) 
through the thin ? 
paper used to wrap the bricks of figs before they are placed in the 
eartons.t. It had previously been supposed by the packers that this 
paper if preserved intact would prevent insects from reaching the 
fruit. 
The foregoing experiments will serve to prove the efficiency of a 
sealed carton in protecting packed dried fruit from insect attack. 
SEALED PACKAGES FOR DRIED FRUIT. 
Packages of dried fruit weighing less than 5 pounds are so nearly 
the size of the cartons used for cereals that, except for the high labor 
cost of sealing, the method used with the cereal carton could be 
readily applied to dried fruits. With the 10, 25, and 50 pound pack- 
ages, however, the cost of such sealing is excessive, and the wooden 
boxes used can not be thus sealed to advantage, as the seal is easily 
broken by rough handling. To obviate this difficulty a light paper 
carton fitting inside the wooden box, and sealed before the top was 
nailed on, was constructed, but the cost of these cartons and the 
additional labor required to pack them prohibited the employment 
1A heavy paraffined paper appears effective in preventing insects from eating through. 
