430 The Grading and Sizing of Apples. [Aug., 



fruit in three grades (for quality) and it then passes to the sizing 

 part. The culls are dropped into a chute and arrangements are 

 made to carry them away. In the sizing part there are three 

 sets of carrying cups (one set for each grade) on endless chains. 

 The apples are automatically fed into these cups one at a time, 

 and are carried along. As they come opposite a tray they are 

 balanced against an apple of the required size. If they are 

 heavier they fall into that tray; if not, they pass on and are 

 tried again at the next tray and so on. The packers then pack 

 from the trays. A machine of this kind requires 20 workers — or 

 more if the crop is poor — and the output varies from 600 to 1.000 

 boxes per day. Although the packers average perhaps 125 boxes 

 a day, the average per ivorker for all operations is probably about 

 40 per day of 10 hours. The output depends partly on the 

 quality of the crop, and partly, perhaps chiefly, on the efficiency 

 of the management. 



Another type of machine sizes the apples by throwing them 

 through the air, the distance they travel depending on the weight. 

 The apples go into the throwing cups one at a time and are 

 caught in cloth catchers from which they roll into the bins. 

 Now that growers are making a business of grading and packing, 

 it will be necessary to give full consideration to the use of these 

 and other labour saving appliances. 



Suitable Method for England and Wales. — In considering the 

 most suitable method for use in this country at the present time, 

 particularly for small growers, it has to be borne in mind that 

 grading for quality is not carried to such a fine point as it has 

 to be in the Western States. There, three grades for quality are 

 made, and the sorter has to consider not only blemishes, but 

 must grade accurately for colour as well. Here less attention is 

 paid to colour, though no doubt we shall do more in this direction 

 later on ; the main division is between blemished and unblemished 

 fruit, and it is only the unblemished fruit that requires sizing*. 

 Moreover, we have few packers accustomed to select sizes 

 accuratelv, and some guide in sizing would greatly assist the 

 work, especially when packing in boxes. Various arrangements 

 for dropping apples through holes of varying sizes have been 

 tried, but it must be confessed that it is a somewhat tedious 

 process. 



A simple arrangement which would meet these requirements 

 can be made by any grower on a plan such as is shown in the 

 following diagram : — 



