30 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURE 
October, 1916 
STANDARD BASKET LAW 
Fixes Standards for Con 
tainers for Fruits, Berries, 
and Vegetables in Inter- 
state Commerce 
Standards for Climax baskets 
for grapes, other fruits, and 
vegetables, and other types of 
baskets and containers used for 
small fruits, berries, and vege- 
tables in interstate commerce, 
are fixed by an act approved by 
the President August 31, 1916. 
The law will become effective 
November 1, 1917. 
The effect of the act will be to 
require the use of the standards 
in manufacturing, sale, or ship- 
ment for all interstate commerce, 
whether the containers are filled 
or unfilled. A large part of the 
traffic in fruits and vegetables 
in this country enters interstate 
commerce. The law relates only 
to the containers and will not 
affect local regulations in re- 
gard to heaped measure or other 
method of tilling. A special ex- 
emption from the operations of 
the law is made for all containers 
manufactured, sold, or shipped, 
when intended for export to 
foreign countries, and when such 
containers accord with the speci- 
fications of the foreign pur- 
chasers, or comply with the laws 
of the country to which the 
shipment is destined. 
Standards of three capacities 
are fixed for Climax baskets — 2, 
4, and 12 quarts, dry measure. 
These containers, often known 
as “grape baskets,” have rela- 
tively narrow, fiat bottoms, 
rounded at each end, and thin 
sides flaring slightly from the 
perpendicular. The handle is 
hooped over at the middle from 
side to side. In addition to fixing 
the capacities of these standard 
baskets of this type, the law also 
prescribes their dimensions. 
The other standards are for 
“baskets or other containers for 
small fruits, berries, and vege- 
tables.” They are to have 
capacities only of one-half pint, 
1 pint, 1 quart, or multiples of 1 
quart, dry measure. Such con- 
tainers may be of any shape so 
long as their capacities accurate- 
ly accord with the standard re- 
quirements. 
The examination and test of 
containers to determine whether 
they comply with the provisions 
of the act are made duties of the 
department, and the Secretary 
of Agriculture is empowered to 
establish and promulgate rules 
and regulations allowing such 
reasonable tolerances and varia- 
tions as may be found necessary. 
Penalties are provided by the 
act for the manufacture for ship- 
ment, sale for shipment, or ship- 
ment in interstate commerce of 
Climax baskets, and containers 
for small fruits, berries, and 
vegetables not in accord with the 
standards. It is provided, how- 
ever: 
That no dealer shall be prose- 
cuted under the provisions of 
this act when he can establish a 
guaranty signed by the manu- 
facturer, wholesaler, jobber, or 
other party residing within the 
United States from whom such 
Climax baskets, baskets, or other 
containers, as defined in this act, 
were purchased, to the effect that 
said Climax baskets, baskets, or 
other containers are correct with- 
in the meaning of this act. Said 
guaranty, to afford protection, 
shall contain the name and ad- 
dress of the party or parties mak- 
ing the sale of Climax baskets, 
baskets, or other containers, to 
such dealer, and in such case 
said party or parlies shall be 
amendable to the prosecutions, 
fines, and other penalties which 
would attach in due course to 
the dealer under the provisions 
of this act . — Weekly Newsletter, 
U. S. Dept, of Agr. 
Garden Notes 
The ripe fruit of the common 
green elder is often used for pies, 
sauce, syrup, and wine. 
The raspberry patch should 
be cleaned up. Old canes should 
be pruned out and burned. Per- 
haDS they contain insects or 
disease. Fire will help to cure 
these troubles. 
The hard maple, sumac, hazel, 
and other shrubs and herbs are 
taking on their fall colors now. 
These, with the fruits of the wild 
grape, bittersweet highbush 
cranberry, and snowberry, make 
a trip in the fields a pleasure. 
Many new seedling roses of 
merit are being put out by rose- 
growers in Ireland. 
It is sometimes a good plan to 
pull tomato vines, when a hard 
frost is expected, and hang them 
in a shed to let the fruit ripen. 
Follow up the premium won 
at the state or county fair with 
a little judicious advertising. It 
will help make sales. 
Now is a good time to get 
together the horticultural books, 
bulletins, and papers for use this 
winter. 
The motor car is fast becom- 
ing a necessity in marketing 
fruits and vegetables. Not only 
is time saved which can be used 
profitably otherwise but the pro- 
ducts of the orchard and garden 
reach the market in much better 
condition than if several hours 
on the way. 
