The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1896-12-02
MARKETING FRUIT.


A man who was engaged by farmer
as an assistant in packing and shipping
apples began his duties by preparing
one barrel for a shipment.
The farmer had his methods and
would not allow any one to interfere
with them. No package of fruit went
to market without his personal ex.
animation of it. Upon looking over
the barrel he found small, worm
eaten, knobby apples scattered about
within foot of the top. He criticised
the packing, when the employe, with
some spirit, said that he had spent his
life in the best apple-growing dis
tricts IN New York State, and that the
farmers there always packed apples in
that way. He was told that there was
but one method used by his present
boss, and that must be strictly adhered
to. This was, when apples were
marked as frst-class, that no imperfect
specimens should be found in the
barrel.
There are fruit shippers in the vi.
cinity OF New York whose packages
can always go to the consumer without
being examined. The commission
merchant knows that they are in every
respect the best that can be put up,
and that the stamp of such shippers
stands against all evidence.
Fruit should be put up in three
grades-the first without a blemish or
spot, and of the largest size; the Sec
ond smaller, but quite as perfect; and
the third, the culls of the entire lot.
There is nothing more valuable to
the producer than a reputation for re-
liability, and the man who is known
to put up good, honest fruit, while he
may get no higher price than his
neighbor who is less careful, will sell
his goods more rapidly.
Apples should be packed closely
and shaken down so that they will not
settle during handling. The heads of
the barrel should be tightly pressed in
and firmly secured. The Apple Ship
pers' Association has adopted as the
size OF barrels those of the capac.
ity OF an ordinary flour barrel.
This is seventeen and one
eighth inches in diameter of
head and twenty-eight and a
half irches in length of stave and of
the regular bulge. Early and soft ap-
Piles ought always to be packed in
small parcels. Ten and twenty pound
| baskets and bushel baskets are best
tor fancy grades ofsummer and autumn
apples. A couple of years ago there
was demand made for small pack
ages of fine apples. Ordinarily, these
are to be had only in full barrels, but
half barrels were called for, and we're
packed to order.
This season there has been q pack
age provided for this trade. 1t is a
wooden box, made of light, strong
wood, and holds bushel of apples.
They will weigh very little, if any,
more than the average barrel, holding
the same amc1nt.
1t is useless to send apples to market
unless one adopts a clearly defined
system of packing and sorting There
is nothing about which consumers are
more touchy than fruit, and once ship
a lot that shows evidence of a desire
to fill IN with poor stuff, and the ship
1 per's reputation is gone.
The association gives the following
directions for shipping apples:
e "The standard barrels should bt
5 used. The apples should be handled
r carefully, the barrels we'll filled anC
the heads be pressed in as firmly a
/. possible without bruising the fruit, 81
1 that the contents can't shake around
e 1he barrels should be we'll nailed
;. plainly stenciled with the name of tn
o variety and the name of the shipper
r or any mark that he may use to desig
}. nate his goods. They are then read.
e to be sent to any apple exporter, VIII
d will look after them and make return
II after they are sold. The expoIte
II will attend to all the details, see t
/ putting the apples on board the vessel
I, attend to Insurance, freight, etc. II
b should be notified by mail when
shipment is made to him. The expens
OF sending apples to the English maj
kets is about 81 per barrel, and
- costs Just as much to send barrel {
at poor ones as one OF the choice
h fruit.
a. a. New shippers will find it of grei
"A advantage TO observe all the details
~ honest fruit and good condition
- There are reliable fruit growers
o plenty who ship to markets. and
1o some in competition with these OF
as must set up standard and live up
~ Nau Xprlr I .ad uer