Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-01-25
APPLE PACKING BY EXPERTS.
fhe Way id Which IT Is Done in California
Orchards:

fhe Way Id Which 1t Is Done Id ealhofaia
Orchards:
ySYatsonyille, Cal, claims the biggest
thing on earth in the shape OF an ap-
plepacking house. 1t covers an area
Of ri, 900 superficial feet. One end OF
the huge shed abuts on the Southern
Pacific track, while the other furnish
&c facilities for the rapid unloading
of the spacious spring wagons special
ly built for this trade, with long nat
beds and strong springs, to carry lOp
boxes OF more filled with fruit loosely
packed in the orchard:
5tThe s'plant" required IN the business
of apple packing is primitive and IN
expensive. The shed is simply a foof.
less shell, spacious and lofty. In this
tracks are ranged longitudinally to re-
cefye small, four-wheeled fiat cars,
which make easy the work of unload
ing the wagons and loading the cars.
,Dhe rest of the ground space is tray
sersed by pieces of scantling, on which
are ranged the boxes Of apples, ten
Tiers nigh. Benches for boXmakers anu
tables fitted with iron clamps, oper-
5ated BIZ foot pressure, for gently press
ifs down tie bottoms Of the full
Tnaeised boxes ready for tile mailer, cofi'
sfitrte The Equipment iiSsi1c the sled.
Outside are two huge ~ lDed hop;
ID,ers Ders, built Of lumber, into which the
refuse apples arc thrown, to yield up
sthelrsjuice for cider vinegar. A store
Of this vinegar, sharpening IN the
suns rays, fills many barrels, whose
burgholes are stopped with wine bot
ties inverted.
The process of packing calls for
considerable digital deNterfty. I'D
p,.fclsing for the California market one
Of fhe first things needful is to put a
good face on things. So the boXmaker
nails on the top of the box first, and
this temporarily becomes the bottom.
On tliis, with their brightest colored
cheek downward, arc ranged the
showiest fruit of the grade that Is be.
tteibg handled These must be selected
and fitted with not little nicely, Sc
as, when gently pressed, to exactly
fill the area of the box, but they must
not be roughly squeezed, for few
bruised apples spoil the appearance
aud sale. of the box; and the bell-how-
er Is especially tender. To facilitate
this arranging Of the fruit, the pack
er tiJtsy the box to q considerable an
gle, so that each apple remains where
1T is PLACED, instead Of rolling about,
as on q level surface. When this
first layer is satisfactorily adjusted
subsequent tiers OF the same size are
added until the box Is slightly over
filed. 1t is then passed to the mailing
table, the bottom pieces nailed on, the
clamps applied so carefully as ncith-
or to bruise by overDressure nor to
leave the fruit so loose as to rattle
| ifythe box be Jared, and the nails are
driven home. lin packing for export
! the method is quite different, each ap-
ple being wrapped in separate paper.
Another important point is the grad
Ing according to size. The trade re-
cognizes at least three grades, three
tier, four tier, and five tier. This siz-
/ ing must be rigidly adhered to, and
no boxes packed with mixed sizes. AS
rule, the largest sizes brings til"
highest price, although this is not :
variably so, the market for three-tler
fruit being limited.