426 



Grading and Packing Apples. 



[Aug., 



marketed under the heading Special Dessert, the apples must 

 be perfect fruits, of uniform colour and size, the minimum 

 diameter of which shall be 2-J in. They are to be packed in 

 peach boxes, and the number of apples is to be stated on the 

 label. Many people will need convincing that perfect apples 

 packed in shallow boxes will need any guarantee or label to 

 sell them; from the method of packing the quality of the 

 apples is apparent to the buyer, and no deception can be 

 practised. Experience shows that growers now packing 

 " Specials " in peach boxes have been quite satisfied with the 

 results; and little complaint as to this class of fruit has been 

 raised by the wholesaler or retailer. The action of the 

 Federation of British Growers does, however, follow the 

 practice which has been adopted in South Africa for oranges, 

 where the First Grade is described in the Fruit Export Act 

 as " Extra Specials." In this connection it is interesting 

 to note that the Inspection and Sales Act of Canada, J 915, 

 described the best grade as " Fancy Quality," but in the 

 Amending Act of 1918 this quality was omitted, the inference 

 being that no regulations were necessary for " Fancy Quality " 

 fruit. 



Eeviewing the grades for dessert apples other than 

 Specials," it will be noticed that the apples have been 

 graded according to size; the distinction between the grades 

 or sizes is to be made apparent by the use of different 

 coloured paper. This has distinct advantages, one being that 

 theoretically the grades all start equal, and thus controversy 

 as to whether a dessert apple of 2i to 3 in. is superior or 

 inferior to those of larger or smaller size cannot arise; 

 secondly, traders have been accustomed to the use of coloured 

 paper for differentiating the various grades of tomatoes — pink 

 and white is used for the more expensive samples, pink for 

 the medium price, and blue for the cheaper samples. This 

 nomenclature for grades of apples appears to be unique. 

 Most countries adopt a numerical system for classifying 

 grades, such as 1, 2 and 3, though in some countries the 

 word " Domestic " occurs. The scale of sizes 2 — 2^ in., 

 2J- — 3 in., and 3 in. and over would appear to apply well so 

 far as British-grown dessert apples are concerned. It is 

 probable that the middle size of fruit f2^- — 3 in.), being the 

 normal size, will soon estabhsh for itself the premier place on 

 the markets in preference to the larger and smaller sizes; 

 so that, like tomatoes, the grades of apples " Pink and 



