1922.] Tin: GRADING and Sizing of Apples. 429 



This is a very good method, but obviously the sorters and 

 packers require considerable skill and experience. 



r_! The chief mechanical aid in use in the Western States is 

 the grading belt. This is simply a wide endless belt, which by 

 means of revolving drums is kept moving over a table,, with sides 

 to prevent the fruit from rolling off. At intervals along the sides 

 are narrow channels, one for each grade, leading to trays or 

 bins for receiving the fruit. The ungraded fruit is poured on to 

 a slightly sloping table at the end of the belt and passes on to 

 it. The sorters stand by the side of the belt and grade the fruit 

 (for quality only) as it is carried before them by deflecting 

 the apples into the proper channels. The sizing and 

 packing is done from the trays in the same manner as from the 

 packing table described above. The use of this belt represents 

 a considerable saving in time,, but it is still necessary to have 

 fairly skilled packers to do the sizing correctly. 



(3) If sizing machines did what they ought to do, they would 

 always be used, because unskilled workers can easily learn to 

 pack accurately sized fruit. They usually suffer from serious 

 defects, however, the chief of which are that they damage the 

 apples and do not size the fruit accurately. Even in the North- 

 Western States where grading and packing is almost an exact 

 science, and these particular defects have been overcome, the 

 perfect machine has not yet been placed on the market. The 

 chief difficulty appears to be in apportioning the work between 

 sorters and packers so that all are kept fully employed. In spite 

 of these difficulties it is estimated that about half the crop is 

 sized by machinery, and it is admitted that the result is more 

 uniform and reliable. It is therefore evident that they are 

 working on sound lines and a brief description of the machines 

 they use may be of interest. 



Sizing Machines. — There are only two patterns in general use 

 and they both size by weight, the idea of sizing by diameter 

 having been abandoned. It must be remembered that they have 

 to deal with three grades (for quality) and 8 or more sizes of each 

 grade. The smallest machine of the pattern in commonest use 

 makes 8 sizes of one grade only and is BO ft. lone;: the largt st 

 makes 48 sizes and grades and is 52 ft. long. 



The fruit is fed on to a grading belt, similar to that already 

 described, which carries it before the sorters. Another method 

 is to have rollers, instead of the belt, arranged so as to turn 

 the apples as they are carried forward. The sorters select th« 



