1914. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
PACKING BOXED APPLES. 
Methods on an Eastern New York Farm. 
Our crop amounted to about 1,S00 barrels, the bulk 
ot which was sold in barrels at a satisfactory figure, 
graded into two sorts: each grade to be strictly uni¬ 
form, all culls, wormy fruit or otherwise unfit was 
sold to the eider mill. Our system of packing may 
not strictly conform to rules laid down by agricul¬ 
tural colleges, but I found it answers very nicely 
when selling to private trade or to stores in our 
neighborhood. I had no college training, but had to 
learn by experience and observation. 
GATHERING AND SELECTING.—I had from 
eight to 10 pickers at work, all Italians, who are 
about the only day labor to be had around here, and 
who will do very nicely if instructed right and kept 
under constant and strict supervision. This I did 
myself, and while doing it I employed my time by 
sorting out the perfect fruit as to size and color, by 
taking them out of the barrel after each basket 
emptied by a picker. This fruit I placed in boxes, 
putting paper between each layer of apples. These 
boxes we hauled every evening to cellar and stored 
them away till wanted for packing. The main points 
in this work are: Look well after the pickers, so 
that as little fruit as possible or none at all is 
bruised. Select only fruit perfectly clean, sound and 
of good color; size does not count so much, as we 
find a market for some small fruit as well as large, 
provided it is perfect. 
GRADING AND PACKING.—We use standard 
bushel boxes, same as are used in every market, 
which can be bought as cheaply as barrels from dif¬ 
ferent commercial houses, together with layer paper, 
lining paper and wrappers in different 
sizes. My packing table is 0x4*4 feet, 
30 inches high, and divided into three 
compartments, each either to hold one 
different size of the same variety of 
fruit, or to hold different varieties of 
same size in each. We grade all fruit 
into three grades except Greenings, 
where we only make two. I put two 
deep shelves under the table to bold 
layer paper, lining paper, wrappers, 
box covers, etc., and one shelf on top 
for tools, stamps, cards, order blanks, 
etc., so I have everything handy where 
it is wanted. The grading of the fruit 
can be done in two different ways, 
either on rainy days by emptying boxes 
gently on a sorting table, grading back 
into boxes and marking each; or by 
taking them, when ready for packing, 
direct to packing table and grading 
into the three different compartments. 
The table is 3x4 feet, four pieces, 2x4x 
30 inches, for legs; four pieces of ei¬ 
ther 1*4 or 2x4 inches for frame; a 
piece of strong burlap or canvas stretched over 
fiame, three boards nailed to either sides and back, 
and it is finished. I nailed two extra strips 1*4x4 
inches, front and back, extending IS inches on both 
sides; nailed two boards on top, and have a handy 
shelf on either side of table for three baskets, or box 
and basket. I don’t like a wooden table; canvas 
protects fruit from being bruised. 
PACKING THE BOX.—I place box to my left side, 
pitching toward me at about 20 to 30 degrees; put 
piece of layer paper in bottom, line both sides with 
lining paper, the ends hanging over sides six to eight 
inches, which are turned in and protect top after 
box is filled. Our standard grade is 90 apples to a 
box, 24 to a layer, four layers to a box; every apple 
is wrapped in paper and placed in box, stem up. A 
paper is placed between each two layers. This way 
of packing is, I believe, the most approved one; but 
you will find it often hard to have 24 apples exactly 
of the size to fit the box so as to make a very tight 
and close pack, which must be done, and I therefore 
place now and then one apple “side up,” when pack¬ 
ing to private trade. I did this for some years, and 
never had a complaint, as the main point for the cus¬ 
tomer is size and quality. I also use apples slightly 
larger toward middle of box, so that I will have, 
when finished, a well-rounded box. showing a bulge 
on top, bottom and sides; it is well filled and tight, 
which is wanted. We also sell quite a number of 
assorted boxes; that means either two or three dif¬ 
ferent varieties in one box, size about uniform, or 
two or three different sizes in box of same variety; 
but this is only done when so ordered by a customer. 
Our principle is to give him what he wants and, if 
possible, the way he wants it. 
When packing for store trade, we employ a differ¬ 
ent packing. I wrap one apple, leave next one ex¬ 
posed. and so on till finished, the apples to be as even 
in size and color as possible. My reason for doing 
this is, it shows the fruit off well, enables the cus¬ 
tomer to see the fruit without having the storekeeper 
unwrap half a dozen apples to show and then drop¬ 
ping them back into box, tumbling the packing all 
to pieces and spoiling the looks of it. This way of 
packing helps him and me by making it easier for 
him and helping us in advertising the fruit. By 
packing grades of apples smaller than 96 to a box 
I find it often to advantage by placing fruit “sides 
up” into box, making thereby a closer and better 
pack, and it looks fully as well as with all stems up. 
After box is filled an advertising card and order 
blank is placed on top, covered with one layer paper, 
both sides of overhanging lining paper turned in and 
top nailed down. We stamp all of our boxes with 
our trade mark, which is also printed on our wrap¬ 
pers, and adds greatly to the appearance. It is also 
a constant reminder to the customer when unwrap¬ 
ping an apple where it came from, and to order 
more if be is satisfied. 
A lot of fruit is sold in boxes to-day, coming most¬ 
ly from the West, where they raise apples of the 
finest size and color; but the East is able to raise 
apples of much better flavor and quality; so we 
should work and improve size and color by cultiva¬ 
tion, proper pruning, spraying and thinning of fruit, 
which. I am sure, can very well be done. A nicely 
packed box of good sound apples sells as well, and 
often better, than a barrel of poorly grown and 
packed fruit, and it is a credit to the grower, while 
the latter one is a disgrace. As farmers get in closer 
touch with the consumer, they will appreciate this 
point more fully. In barrels slack packing is re¬ 
sponsible for a good deal of trouble. Many who can 
grow good apples do not realize the uniform excel¬ 
lence required in boxed fruit. The purchaser of 
A MAINE FARMER’S ROUND BARN. Fig. 5. 
(See page 23.) 
boxed apples has been educated by the fine Western 
fruit, which sets our pace. carl koehn. 
Westchester Co., N. Y. 
FITTING AN ABANDONED OLD MEADOW. 
Late in the Fall of 1911 I plowed about four acres 
of abandoned old meadow-land that had become first 
pasture, then brush, and finally small wood; and it 
is again well on the way toward meadow. I think 
my process was probably too slow for most people, 
but I firmly believe it was more economical than a 
quicker one would have been. This land had been 
cropped about 25 years ago, but not seeded down, 
and had a lot of stones on top of the ground; these 
were loosened with a pick and drawn away with a 
one-horse dump cart before plowing. The condition 
of the land rendered a decent job of plowing impos¬ 
sible, but we did the best we could, and left it in the 
furrow without any harrowing, so as to have it 
freeze and thaw as much as possible. At odd times 
we drilled and dynamited all the rocks that would 
interfere with the mowing machine in the future, 
and then left it alone till September, 1912, when it 
was harrowed with the disk and spike-tooth harrows. 
This produced an enormous crop of stumps and 
stones, which were taken off with the dump cart; 
the blasted rocks were drawn off and the land seeded 
to rye. 
In the Spring of 1913 this rye was turned under, 
and after a lot of harrowing was planted to fodder 
corn, except about an acre, which was planted to 
Delaware potatoes. It was a pretty hard proposition 
tc cultivate, but we went through the corn six and 
the potatoes nine times, and each time made it bet¬ 
ter. The fodder corn was a good crop for the sea¬ 
son. and rye was sown before the last cultivation, in 
preparation for potatoes next year. The potatoes 
were thoroughly hoed twice, kept sprayed in good 
shape, and dug the second week in October, and pro¬ 
duced 237 bushels from 14 bushels of seed. This was 
& 
a remarkable crop here this year, as we suffered 
from a terrible drought all Summer. Lots of crops 
in this section did not produce over 40 to 50 bushels 
to the acre. Before cultivating these potatoes the 
last time buckwheat was sown broadcast all over the 
piece, and at digging time had mellowed it wonder¬ 
fully. The land was harrowed and sown to Winter 
wheat and Timothy as soon as possible after digging, 
and then after taking off 60 cart-loads of small 
stones and brush l-oots we rolled it. It has taken 
two years to get this land where we have it; it has 
been plowed twice to get one crop, and we have spent 
a lot of time getting off stumps and stones, which 
is a pretty slow, expensive process. But the potato 
land that is sown to wheat was ground to dust be¬ 
fore it was rolled, and this could not have been done 
by a quick process, as it takes time to rot old sod; 
and I believe the action of the weather on these 
roughly plowed furrows was fully equal to another 
plowing and harrowing, and it cost nothing except 
a little patience. The rye and buckwheat did good 
work, added a lot of humus to the land and cost very 
little. I would therefore advise anyone wishing to 
break up tough, brushy land to make good use of 
Jack Frost, sow cover crops liberally, and get the 
rocks off before planting crops. I used 500 pounds 
of fine bone and 300 pounds of potash on the rye, 
1.000 pounds of commercial fertilizer on the corn, 
and 1,000 pounds on the potatoes. This analyzed 5 
per cent nitrogen. 8 to 8.5 per cent phosphoric acid, 
10 to 11 per cent potash. The piece seeded to wheat 
got 500 pounds of bone and 100 pounds of potash this 
Fall. The net cost after deducting crops was $134.63. 
This includes cutting brush, fixing fence, all mate¬ 
rials and labor, including my own time. 
Connecticut. wel w. clabke. 
R. N.-Y.—We do not print this as a 
model for all farmers to follow. Com¬ 
paratively few could afford to pay out 
$25 an acre simply to fit land for a 
crop of grass. We give all sides of 
farming, by way of contrast. Before 
Mr. Clarke is done with this land he 
will receive good interest on all his in¬ 
vestment. At any rate, it pays to fit 
land as well as we can afford before 
seeding it down. 
CROPS FOR A YOUNG ORCHARD. 
On page 1320 C. E. L. asks about 
planting asparagus between the rows 
in a young orchard. After working in 
such an orchard for more than three 
years, the writer can possibly give some 
information of interest. The orchard 
is owned by Minch Bros.’ Produce Co. 
It is in two parts, and contains about 
7,000 trees, set 16 by 16 feet. One part 
contains about 1,500 Yellow Trans¬ 
parent apple trees, seven years old; 
about 1.100 Williams Red trees, six years old, and 
about 1,100 Red Astrachan trees, six years old. This 
part was set with rhubarb about six years ago. The 
plants were set in hills, making two rows each way 
in the orchard. This left about six feet between the 
plants and the trees. The plan was to cultivate 
north and south one time, and east and west the 
next. Manure was applied for the first year or two, 
and annual applications of one-half ton or more of 
a mixture of bone and muriate of potash was given. 
The cultivators were kept going until frost, no grass 
or weeds were permitted to mature seed. The rhu¬ 
barb grew well and yielded fairly well. At first 
glance this seemed a desirable crop, as it more than 
paid for the cultivation and care of the young or- 
chard. The writer has had entire charge of the 
pruning of this orchard, doing most of the work him¬ 
self, and so has had a chance to study each tree at 
least once each year. I have been able to compare 
this part of the orchard with the other half, which, 
though younger by two years, has nearly caught up 
to the older trees in size, and is much easier to train 
in the proper shape. 
The younger orchard has had peppers planted be¬ 
tween the rows, allowing room each side of the tree 
row for the cultivator. The best crop to plant in an 
orchard is one which will require clean cultivation 
during the growing period of the trees, and which 
will allow one to plant a cover crop not later than 
August 1. Early beets, onions, potatoes and beans 
are good crops for planting in a young orchard. 
A few of the disadvantages of a perennial inter¬ 
crop are. the long season of cultivation, inducing a 
late, weak growth of wood, which adds to the work 
of pruning. The difficulty of cultivating after trees 
reach their third year, and there is more trouble 
when one tries to do a good job of spraying. The 
writer knows of a six-year apple orchard that has 
had three crops of corn in it, the trees being no 
larger and much poorer in health than a neighboring 
three-year-old orchard planted to potatoes and to¬ 
matoes. Give the trees first show. r. b. oilman. 
New Jersey. 
