reducing this from 16 to 48 percent (38, 104, 114). It is certain that rough 
handling is a big factor (28). In 1949, a survey of packing operations in 
Washington State showed that relatively more bruised apples were found in the 
end of the box toward the packer and along the right-hand side of the box. 
Packers who caused least bruising kept the stem-end of the apples toward the 
end of the box, and had fewer oversize apples in the ends. Calyx ends of apples 
placed next to the box bruised most and slightly misplaced apples were more 
damaged than completely misplaced ones (110). Some packers caused twice as 
much bruising as better packers in the same house, Listed as poor practices of 
packing were: the use of force in packing, overfilling boxes, blossom ends of 
Delicious apples placed against the ends of the boxes, and failure to place 
large fruits in the middle of the boxes and the small fruits in the ends (36, 
ILILO)) ¢ 
ee Under simulated handling tests in Washington in 1951-52, it was found 
that a 3:2 pack produced 18.2 percent less bruising of apples than a 2:2 pack. 
These apples were standard packed with sulfite liners and chipboard tops and 
bottoms. While this type was the best for a standard pack, there still were 
over 52 severe bruises per 100 apples (114). 
Trays and Tier Pads 
Molded pulp trays did not appear until 1942, but by 1964 over 100 million 
such trays were used annually to prevent bruises to apples (63). They have 
largely replaced tier pads. The trays are molded to hold apples in definite 
relative position in accord with the number of apples to be packed in the box 
or carton. A standard pack carton can deliver apples in as good condition as 
the tray pack, and perhaps it is less costly than the tray pack (115). However, 
under commercial packing conditions, the tray pack delivers apples more bruise- 
free than the standard carton pack because fewer bruises are caused during the 
packing operations. Woodward (120) found 84 percent bruising in jumble packs 
and 68 percent in trays packs. 
Smith and Wright (92) found that corrugated liners and indented tier 
pads, plus careful handling, could make the standard pack equal to the tray 
pack. It was thought that tier-pad packs might have some practical advantages 
over tray packs in piece-work systems, inasmuch as packers usually have too 
little time to see the tray pockets into which apples are to be put. Studies 
in Washington State (115), reported in 1953, showed that tier pads caused less 
bruising than when the pads were not used, and the amount of apples remaining 
sound was 10.4 percent greater. They found that the pads tended to hold the 
apples in place and to prevent settling, an occurrence that gives the impres- 
sion of a slack fill. The omission of top or bottom pads in boxes often causes 
severe bruising of apples (83, 86). 
Under simulated transit conditions, the Washington State Apple Commission 
(36) found that the tray pack and the heavy-tier padded packs were more than 
twice as effective as sulphite paper lined boxes in preventing bruises. Smith 
and co-workers (93) earlier found similar results occurred under actual trans- 
portation from Washington State to eastern markets. Tomcsanyi (100) reported 
in 1959 that of 15 methods of packing Jonathan apples, those packed in plastic- 
coated trays, 2 layers per container, showed least bruising after being trans- 
ported 1,200 kilometers. Ina similarly severe transportation test in Sweden 
in 1960, fiber sheets between fruit layers were reported to give the best pro- 
tection of all the forms of padding tested (72). 
143 
