Delicious, some growers are using 1/2-bushel fiberboard picking boxes with 
snap-on shoulder straps (6). This is an excellent procedure for minimizing 
bruising as there is no dumping from picking bags. The fiberboard picking 
boxes are transported on flat-bed trailers or on special pallets. As with any 
field container, the fiberboard picking boxes must not be overfilled to avoid 
damage from stacking. 
One study showed that pads in the bottom of ageden field crates reduced 
bruising (74). 
Palletized Handling and Bulk Bins in the Orcnard 
Palletized handling of field crates in the orchard has become a labor 
saver (17, 73). Fisher and Smith (29) found 41 bruises per 100 apples hauled 
from the orchard in individual field boxes and only 8 bruises per 100 apples 
when field boxes were on pallets, Handling on pallets is often not adapted to 
small storage rooms with low ceilings and supporting pillars (4). Bruising can 
be worse with pallets than without, if the forklift or tractor operator is 
rough. Lotter (47) concluded that supervision and condition of roads were im- 
portant factors affecting damage of apples. 
Use of bulk boxes or pallet bins has become standard practice for hand- 
ling apples in some regions, Many workers have studied this development, which 
originated in New Zealand in 1953 (1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 21, 24, 32, 34, 38, 41, 
425453,46,48;5,505" 545, 12D Jl y. 64, 68, 70). One of the esherisuenne Paccors 
to the aie eoe to bulk boxes in the | United States has been the change from 
standard wooden boxes for shipping to corrugated boxes (38). 
The popularity of bulk boxes for harvesting, for transport to packing- 
houses, and for storing apples is primarily due to savings in picking and 
handling costs, plus better utilization of space (24). When bulk boxes are 
used, fewer men are required for setting out empty containers in the orchard, 
for loading and unloading trailers, and for filling storages (2). 
The boxes must be rigidly constructed. If strongly built, they are 
handled more easily than palletized boxes (24, 64). Another advantage is that 
bulk boxes full of fruit are too heavy to be picked up manually and dropped or 
carelessly handled by workers, It is relatively easy to insure careful handling 
by forklift truck operators (2). Blanpied, Markwardt, and Ludington (11) have 
listed many of the advantages and disadvantages of bulk box usage by apple 
growers. Orchard topography must be such that forklift tractors can operate 
satisfactorily to move the bulk boxes. Gaston and Levin (32) stated that 
growers who produce 8,000 or more crates of apples will find investment in 
forklift equipment feasible. 
Bulk boxes are useful in handling fresh-market apples, processing apples, 
windfalls, and cull apples. The effect of bulk boxes on fruit quality is still 
ae tested, but they have proven satisfactory for both handling and storage 
Cia 32, 34). McBirney and van Doren (48) reported that apples harvested 
in 24- pushers bins had slightly fewer bruises than those harvested in regular 
wooden field crates, Bruising increased with the depth of the bins and was 
greatest in the bottom layers. They recommended a maximum bin depth of 24 to 
26 inches if apples are to be stored in bulk containers. Spencer (68) found 
less bruising of Bramley's Seedling apples when bulk boxes were used for har- 
vesting instead of bushel boxes. A fruit depth of 21 inches is probably the 
maximum for safe handling of this variety (64, 68). 
24 
