perienced men, for training in grade interpretations nat general inspection pro- 
cedure. In some States regular training schools for inspectors are held prior to 
the opening of a shipping season or a canning deal. In Ohio and Indiana where 
about 85 and 150 inspectors, respectively, are employed to inspect the tomatoes 
delivered to canneries for processing, training schools are held annually for them 
just prior to the harvesting season. Such schools are considered necessary for 
the proper training of such large groups of men, because uniformity of grade 
interpretation is of great importance in the proper conduct of the service. Similar 
schools are held in Florida, Texas, Calitornia, Washington, Maine, and many 
other States for training inspectors to inspect such important crops as citrus, 
apples, and potatoes. 
At these schools trainees are instructed in all phases of the inspection of the 
product covered in the school. They are given copies of the U. S. standards for 
the product and are expected to become familiar with all the requirements of the 
various grades. Probably the most important attribute of a capable inspector 
is a thorough knowledge of the grades of the fruit or vegetable he inspects. He 
must be able to identify the various defects and diseases that affect the particular 
product and to place the individual specimens in their correct grade classification. 
Various methods are employed to enable the inspector to gain this necessary 
knowledge. Supervisors and other trained inspectors assist him by demonstrating 
the sorting of samples of the product into their proper grade. For scoring certain 
defects, grade definitions are specific and the inspector needs only to follow the 
written specifications. Certain other types of defects, such as those classified 
s “off-color” or “misshapen,” can be defined only in general descriptive terms, 
so he must gain this information by being shown specific examples of a product 
with such defects or by other painstaking methods. 
Skill in the proper interpretation of grade defects is not the only attribute of a 
good inspector. He may be able to score grade defects of a certain product per- 
fectly, but unless he can accurately record and report his findings, his inspection 
is worthless. Thus, a good inspector must demonstrate his ability to write 
legibly and record his notes in systematic and proper form, as these are the basis 
of his final report on the inspection certificate. Ability to describe and report 
his findings on the final inspection certificate, accurately and in accordance with 
instructions, is just as important in making an inspection as accurate judgment 
in appraising the physical aspects of a product. 
One of the principal aids in training new inspectors and enabling the inex- 
perienced ones to properly interpret various grade factors for certain products is 
by use of imitation fruits and vegetables modeled and produced in the Depart- 
ment. These plaster models are painted by artists who have become highly 
skilled through long experience, and they are used to illustrate the lower limits 
cf a grade for many products. Such models are particularly helpful in illustrating . 
defects of color or shape, because it is impossible to define these factors in descrip- 
tive language. It is not feasible to furnish plaster models to all inspectors, owing 
to the length of time necessary to prepare them, and the cost. However, over a 
long period of years the Department has been able to supply each Federal super- 
visor, as well as each receiving market inspection office, with many models, and 
each year new ones are added to the list. Such models aid materially in main- 
taining uniformity in the interpretation of grades throughout the country. 
Photographs, both colored and uncolored, are also used to a considerable extent 
to illustrate various grade defects of certain products. 
At the conclusion of training, new inspectors are usually given a written 
examination to determine their grasp of the subject. Even after receiving instruc- 
tion in such schools, new inspectors are usually assigned to work with older 
experienced inspectors before they are allowed to proceed alone. 
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