1921.] 



Grading and Packing Aiti.es. 



427 



Whites," ** Pinks," and " Bines " will in virtue of their 

 respective merits adjust their positions in commerce. The 

 scale of sizes must be subject to alteration, and possibly the 

 standards of quality may be subject to modification ; the selected 

 packages now chosen may give place to newer ;ind more 

 adaptable ones; but the colours, once selected should, like the 

 laws of the Medes and Persians, remain unalterable. 



One can imagine that the Federa-tion of British Growers 

 and the Committee appointed to help them when discussing 

 the matter, found very considerable difficulties in arriving 

 at an agreement for standard packages. The British Standard 

 Box would no doubt be recognised by most as the best 

 package for dessert apples, but bonnets, in spite of their many 

 disadvantages, by being non-returnable and of light weight, 

 would be favoured by many; while the popular half -bushel 

 sieve has served the British fruit grower too well in the 

 past to be discarded lightly. Becognising these claims the 

 Grading and Packing Committee of the Federation of British 

 Growers acted wisely in deciding to include for the present 

 all three packages. The measurement of the box and the half- 

 bushel are stated so that standards for packages have at last 

 been laid down. 



For cooking apples a similar method of grading and classi- 

 fication is provided ; but the scheme has not recognised 

 cooking apples of a size less than 21- in. in diameter, a 

 decision with which all growers may not agree. It should be 

 realised that the label, to be of value, must be reserved 

 to distinguish superior classes of apples, and most people 

 would admit that" generally the public does not regard a small 

 apple for cooking purposes as ideal. The grades, the sizes, 

 and the selected colours of papers? will probably meet with 

 general approval. 



Four different types qtf packages are to be recognised, the 

 half-barrel, the barrel, the bushel sieve, and the British 

 standard box. Experience will soon decide the most suitable 

 of these packages for each variety of apples. For most 

 varieties and samples of cooking apples the box may be too 

 costly to use, but it is no doubt included in order to provide a 

 package for special cookers such as Newton Wonder, Gascoyne 

 Scarlet, Blenheim Orange and Peasgood Nonsuch. Again, the 

 respective sizes of these packages have been stated. The 

 ^Nfinistry has been asked to bring to the notice of manu- 

 facturers the necessity for making only such jiackages as are of 

 the prescribed measurements. 



