Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-15
MAKING FRUIT-BoxEs.
Thousands of Them Turned Out in Day
by Machinery.
From the Youth's Compaulon.

the Virginias rank first in the culture of
tobacco.
In most of the Middle and Northwest
ern States corn has become the fixed pro-
duct, the soil and climate being insult
able for the cultivation of anything else on
such a grand scale. Illinois, Iowa and
Nebraska are striking examples of this.
Corn and hogs. and cattle fed on corn, have
been the principal productso of those States
since their first settlement, and will I'M
doubtedly continue to be so for long time
In the future. Wheat-growing holds TO
the central belt of the country, while Cali
fornia and Florida are heavily engaged in
the fruit industry.
In the last-named two States the soil
and climate are especially adapted for
fruit-growing, and in the cultivation of
the citrus fruits no other State can hope to
compete successfully with them. So ex-
tensively is the business being carried on
that the foreign trade in oranges, lemons.
figs, pine-apples and dates is diminishing
gradually each year, and in course of time
it will probably cease altogether, or be re-
duced to very small amount.
One fruit farm in California shipped two
years ago one-third of pound Of green
fruit, and about one-thirtieth of pound of
dried fruit, for every person in the United
States. Another one sent to market
oranges enough to supply 10 a great extent
the requirements of the Pacific Coast, and
to furnish half an orange TO every inhabi-
tant east of the Rocky Mountains. Some
of the fruit-growing farms cover from ten
to twenty square miles of country in the
most fertile part of the State.
As a result of all this fruit-growing
new industry, which employs thousands of
hands, has been called into existence.
Orange boxes are made by the thousands,
and the small fruit boxes, in which ber-
ries, cherries and plums are packed, are
manufactured by the hundreds of thou
sands.
Great factories for making fruit boxes
have been erected, and the way that the
smaller boxes are made is a most interest
ing process.
The thin sheets of wood which form the
sides and bottom of small fruit boxes are
made from huge shaviugs cut from great
pine, fir or white wood tree, and bent and
fastened together in the shape of box
The shavings are peeled off from the great
tree by machinery, and from one single
tree from 1000 to 5000 berry boxes are
frequently made.
The logs are cut in the forests, and
either foated down stream to the factory
or carried to it on tramway constructed
for that purpose. They are then cut into
convenient length by a drag-saw, after
which the sections are placed in huge
steam boxes to be subjected to the effects
of the exhaust steam from the engine for
twelve hours or more. The steam softens
the wood, and prevents it from checking
or splitting when cut into the thin shaw
ings.
While the huge log is still hot and
steaming it is hoisted by small derrick,
and swung into position before the cutting
machine. A long, bevel-edged knife, firmly
set in strong iron frame, faces one end Of
the log. The operator pulls lever, and
two heavy iron clamps advance and firmly
fasten their teeth into the outer end of the
log.
The machinery is then set in motion,
and the heavy section of tree begins to
revolve before the huge plane in the same
way that the piece Of wood in a turner's
lathe revolves toward the chisel. When
the knife comes in contact with the steam
ing log, broad sheets of wood are rolled out
under the blade without the slightest noise
or jar. This work is continued until the
water-soaked portion Of the los is entirely
peeled off.
Work at the other end of the log is
then begun. A number of small chisel-
like knives are carefully adjusted by the
operator. The logis then put into motion
again. From under the cutting knives a
long, wide, thin strip is rolled, which the
men pull out and fold up ike wall paper.
This white, steaming strip is marked
throughout its entire length by parallel |
lines, and in places it is cut half way
through the wood.
The marks and creases form an impor- |
tant part Of the box-making, as will be
seen later.
All of the small core of the log is turned |
off into the long shavings, one-twentieth |
OF an inch in thickness, and nearly 1000 |
feet long. As they come out of the rotary |
veneer machine they are broken into con-
venient lengths for boxes.
The thin sheets of wood are then put |
on a table and pushed under a knife, also |
operated by steam power, which cuts the |
wood into narrow strips, lengthwise, and of |
the proper width for the sides and bottom |
these narrow strips out of the machine |
and pile them on an elevator, which car
ries them to another floor.
In this part of the factory the finishing |
touches are put on the boxes. Boys and |
girls take the strips and quickly bind them
into box form.
The markings and cuttings of the veneer
machine now come into use. They are
made so accurately that the strips of wood |
almost make of themselves, if they are
Just pressed together. The strips bend |
readily at the partial cuts and form the
angles of the boxes. The bottoms of the
boxes are formed in the same way, only |
shorter strips are used.
The last work on the boxes is then per-
formed by girl, who stands by stapler |
machine. The box is placed on a little |
plate, pedal is pressed by the foot, and |
a small wire, which is fed from a cylinder,
passes through the two strips of wood and |
clinehes them securely together. The |
other side of the box is then put off the |
plate and stamped, and the work is COM
plete.
As in every other kind of factory, great
many hands are employed, and each de-
partment has its peculiar work, so that the
boxes are continually passing along in diff
ferent stages of completion. The great
veneer machine turns out the strips so
rapidly that many boys are required to
carry the sheets away.
In one day thousands of boxes can be
turned out, the machinery converting
within ten hours fine forest trees into frail-
looking berry boxes, which are shipped to
all parts of the United States
The process of making orange-boxes is
far more simple than that of manufactur
ing the small berry-boxes. The sheets
are larger, and are cut into convenient
sizes by huge plane. Partial cuts are
also made in the bottom strips of these