Table 4. --Labor and equipment costs for performing packing operations with 

 the experimental packing line--150,000 boxes dumped annually, at 1,200 boxes 

 per day 





Crew 

 size 





Cost 





Cost item : 



Per : 

 day : 



Per box 



dumped 



: Per 

 : container 





Number 



: Dollars 



: 10.00 

 : 60.00 

 : 50.00 

 : 20.00 



Cents 



0.8 

 5.0 

 4.2 

 1.7 



Cents 



Labor : : 



1 



6 



5 



: 2 



1/0.8 





1/5.0 





2/6.8 



Boxing utilities and culls. . . 



3/5.8 





14 



: 140.00 

 : 43.32 



11.7 

 3.6 









Total labor and equipment 4/. . 



14 



: 183.32 



15.3 



- 



1/ Based on 1,200 Northeast boxes dumped daily. 

 2/ Based on 739 cell type cartons packed daily. 

 3/ Based on 342 Northeast boxes filled daily. 



4/ Costs for bagging apples were not developed, since no experimental 

 equipment or methods were involved. 



BRUISING. 



SORTING, AND SIZING TESTS 



After the line had been installed, a few weeks were allowed for the 

 workers to become familiar with its operation. During this period adjustments 

 and corrections were made so that each component worked properly, and the 

 entire line was in synchronization. Then, when controlled-atmosphere rooms 

 were opened and a good supply of fruit was assured, testing was begun. Tests 

 were conducted over an extended period, and were designed to yield information 

 for evaluating: (1) Amount of bruising caused by the experimental line, 

 (2) number of apples misgraded, and (3) accuracy of the sizer. 



Bruising Caused by the Experimental Line 



Each component of the line was tested separately, and then the entire 

 line as a unit. Only bruise-free Mcintosh variety apples were used, so that 

 the number and severity of resulting bruises could be determined. In all, 

 nine different components were tested, utilizing nearly 5,000 bruise-free 

 apples of varying firmness. In selecting test apples, several lots of incoming 

 fruit were sorted through until sufficient bruise-free apples were found to 

 permit a valid test of the component. Figure 7 shows how each apple was 

 examined individually to assure that only bruise- free fruit was used in the 

 bruise tests. 



- 18 - 



