The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-09-19
HOW TO MAKE
SUITABLE CRATES
TIMELY INFORMATION ON subject
Well Known Commission Man Says
More Money Can be Had for
Better Packages.
Chicago, ILL.,, Sept IS.


To the Fruit Growers of Washington:
On all shipments of prunes arriv-
ing and unloaded in the eastern auc-
ton market this season the breakage
in every car was excessive, due most
ly to the poor construction and poor
quality of the lumber used in the
crates used by the growers from your
section.
For the benefit of all concerned l
am giving herewith a few pointers
that l know positively if followed
will result in shippers receiving from
10 to Is cents per crate more for
your fruit.
First of all, ii possible, secure
heavier lumber. Both the end piec-
es and the side pieces now being
used are entirely too weak, and
when loaded in the car the bottom
tier always collapses on account of
not being able to withstand the pres
sure.
For the sides and ends and bot
tom of the crate use larger cement
nails, but in no case use cement
nails for the cover. Very frequently
the nails become loosened in transit
and the natural result is that the
sides break off, nails drop out and
contents are spilled on the car floor.
If you are compelled to use the sim
gle strip on the side of the crate in
all cases, put at least three nails in
the side pieces, instead of two as
heretofore, but our experience has
taught us that the best results are
obtainable by using two strips in the
side of the crate about the size of
common lath. When using these,
siderably heavier and thicker than
the ones you are using now.
In addition to this, kindly remem-
Der the following: 1t is imperative
| that all cars should be top tired
that is, the top tiers bear separate
stamp, as in all cases the top tiers
are ripper than the balance of the
fruit in the car. On our California
shipments we use the rubber stamp
bearing a star, so that all of our top
tiers are uniformly marked and east
ly recognized. Would advise you to
do the same in your district, using
one character to indicate all top
tiers SO that they may be looked for.
Your attention has heretofore
been called to the necessity of mark
ing on the crates the size of the pack
of plums and prunes, whether AKA,
AXIS or 5x5. These marks should al
ways show on the manifest that
goes with the car, as the manifest Is
copied and becomes the catalogue,
and therefore these marks appear on
the catalogue. There are buyers for
each of these different sizes and also
for the ripe top layers, and they look
for them and are willing really to
pay more for the fruit when they are
able to get Just what they want. BY
all means avoid marking boxes with
pencil always use a rubber stamp.
This is of more Importance than you
can imagine and I trust that each
one Of you will see to it that in fu-
ture seasons these suggestions are
carried out.
In loading prunes there will be no
objection to including in each car
few crates of the small plums and
prunes which will pack ext, but they
must be packed in baskets four tiers
deep, and must be marked on the
crates accordingly. firmly believe
that by following out the above out
lines we will be able to establish
reputation, placing your fruit on