PACKING 



19 



(4) Size of Commercial Crop. When the commercial crop 

 of the country is short, the proportion of the crop to be put in 

 closed packages may usually be increased to advantage. When 

 the crop is average or above, the standards must be raised 

 correspondingly, only the better fruit being likely to pay the 

 attendant costs. 



This does not mean that the grades themselves should be 

 changed from year to year. To have value, such grades should 

 mean the same thing each year to the trade, thus giving sta- 

 bility to the market. It does mean that fruit which may not 

 pay in its proper grade in years of heavy production may pay 

 well when so packed in years of shortage. 



(5) Size of Individual Crop, The grower's procedure with 

 regard to packages will be governed somewhat by the size of 

 his own crop. With a short crop, he can give special attention 

 to his packing, and to training resident laborers in improved 

 packing practices. Such labor will then be ready to assist him 

 in years of heavy production. 



(6) Where Crop is Marketed, The export trade recognizes 

 but three packages, the box, the barrel, and the bushel basket. 

 When the grower uses his own local market, the number and 

 type of packages that are acceptable increase considerably. 

 Selection of packages must thus be made with the market in 

 mind. 



(7) Specifications of Packages, Barrel: The standard 

 apple barrel possesses the following specifications: 



Length of stave 28^/^ inches, diameter of head 17% inches, distance 

 between heads 26 inches, circumference at center 64 inches outside meas- 

 urement, capacity 7056 cubic inches. Its capacity is thus somewhat more 

 than 3 bushels. Federal laws require its branding ''Min. Vol. 3 bu." 

 A barrel of like capacity is also standard, though its dimensions may 

 differ. An apple barrel is made of gum, oak, pine, poplar, birch, etc., the 

 harder woods being more difficult to work by the cooper and not making 

 as neat a package. The hoops are usually second-growth elm, six in 

 number on the American barrel, two at each end and two quarter hoops. 

 The Canadian barrel has eight hoops. Wire and iron hoops are used to 

 some extent. The heads are of hard wood, preferably ash. A No. 1 



