428 



Grading and Packing Apples. [Aug., 



Quality. — It is very difficult indeed to define and describe 

 on paper what is meant by quality, and little criticism on the 

 standard adopted can be made as the Committee has adopted 

 a perfectly safe course in fixing a high and uniform standard 

 for all apples. The scheme, reads: "Colour even through 

 package; sound, without blemishes affecting keeping or 

 quality; skin blemishes not to exceed 10 per cent, of the 

 apples; evenly sized." In Canada, where a different standard 

 of quality is fixed for each separate grade of apples, 1, 2, 

 Domestic, and 3, not less than 90 per cent, of the fruit must 

 be free from scab, bruise, wormholes and other defects in 

 order to reach the standard of Grade 1; not less than 85 per 

 cent, for Grade 2 and 80 per cent, for the Domestic Grade; 

 and for Grade 3 the fruit must include no culls. After decid- 

 ing to differentiate grades merely by sizes, each of which 

 would be distinguished by a special coloured paper, and not 

 by the usual classification of superiority, it was logical that 

 the standard of quaHty should be the same for all grades. The 

 Committee and the Federation of British Growers have, there- 

 fore, in establishing grades and quality, departed, and 

 departed widely, from the usual custom; but by adopting a 

 very high standard of quality greater limitations on the 

 extended use of the label have been imposed, and it may be 

 necessary for most growers to adopt better hygienic measures 

 for controlling pests and diseases before they will be able to 

 produce apples in any quantity 90 per cent, free from 

 blemishes and skin spot. The value of the scheme in stimulat- 

 ing action in this direction will not be small. Again, the 

 higher the standard of quality of fruit sold in labelled packages 

 the greater appreciation will be given by buyers to such 

 packages, which will raise the potential value of the label. 



Packing. — All existing legislation on this subject in exporting 

 countries requires that the apples shall be " properly packed." 

 It is very difficult to define the expression further, though 

 Canada states that " properly packed " means that the package 

 should be well and properly filled. 



The Committee and the Federation of British Growers have 

 expressed their intention clearly by stating that every package 

 must be well lined, presumably with paper, to protect the 

 sides of the package from bruising the apples, and so arranged 

 that coloured paper shows on the top. It is further recognised 

 that the sides of wicker packao^es, being rougher, tend to bruise 

 apples more readily, and packing with stiff paper is insisted 



