534 



Packing Apples in Boxes. 



[Sept. , 



Having decided to pack on the diagonal system, to abandon 

 tlie attempt to size by means of a mechanical grader only, and 

 to make a final selection for size at time of packing, the neces- 

 sary appliances and the actual method of sizing and packing 

 remain to be determined. 



Appliances. — A table to hold the fruit is necessary. The 

 height and width should be 8 ft., and the length 5 ft., or more 

 as convenient. Stout canvas should be stretched across the top, 

 and to prevent too great sagging, webbing such as is used in 

 chair making should be fixed 3 in. below. A little under this 

 a shelf to hold hning paper will be convenient. 



A box rest to hold one end of the bottom of the box level with 

 the top of the table and the other about 9 in. lower is required. 

 This may be attached to the side of the tabic, or a separate 

 holder may be made, but it should be so placed that the packer 

 may stand with the fruit on his right hand and the box in 

 front of and sloping towards him. If wrapping papers are used, 

 a suitable receptacle may be hung on the side of the box. 



The supply of boxes must be of the recognised size and 

 material, or the proper strength and elasticity will not be 

 obtained. The inside measurements of the box, and the measure- 

 ments of the pieces of w^hich it is composed are : — 



Made-up box, 18 x lU x 10* in. 



2 solid ends, lU x lOi x | in. 



4 side pieces, 19| x 4| by f% in. 



4 top and bottom pieces, 19^ x 5:[ x fV in. 



4 cleats, 11 x | x | in. 

 A box press for holding down the ends while the box is being 

 nailed, or some effective contrivance for attaining this object, is 

 essential, together with a supply of cement coated nails and a 

 hammer, a nail drawer and a box opener. 



The Numerical System. — Only four packs are necessary to 

 take all sizes from 270 to 3G (that is from about 2 to 5;i in. in 

 diameter). They are known by the number of apples in the 

 rows across the box : B-3. 3-2, 2-2. and 2-1 diagonal. For 

 example, the 3-2 pack has 3 apples in the first row and 2 in 

 the second row, and so on 3 and 2 alternatelv. The 3-2 pack 

 has always 5 tiers or layers of apples, the 2-2 has 4 tiers, the 2-1 

 has 3 tiers, and the 3-3 has 6 tiers. 



There are 10 sizes in the 3-2 pack. 10 in the 2-2. 5 in the 2-1, 

 and 4 in the 3-3. The pack is further distinguished by stating 

 the numbers of apples in the vertical rows after the above. For 

 instar.ce. the 3-2. 6-5 pack has 3 and 2 apples alternately in the 



