The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-01-15
HORTICULTURE
IF. VALID Z n

a commission house it will sell for
enough less to pay for good packing
twice over. If it is sold to some one
who does not know it is poorly packed
he will feel so outraged that he Will
not buy from that grower again II ne
can get fruit elsewhere. These state
ments are not guesses on my part.
have a good chance to know the truth
of what / say | am frequently down
on Western Avenue, Seattle, and talk
with some of the commission men on
that busy row. Just the other day,
being in one of the commission houses,
I was invited by the salesman to LOOK
at a car of apples that had arrived
a short time before. 1t was mixed
car. but how many varieties were IN
the lot I did not learn, for the sales
man himself did not know. There
were over six hundred boxes and not
one box in the entire lot had the name
of the variety marked on it. The sales
man had to open each box and guess
in most cases what the variety was.
An expert could not be sure in some
cases as to the proper name OF the
variety l know something or apples
and have studied varieties for years,
but could not be sure OF some OIL
those apples. Retailers will not puy
in such cases if they can AVOID IT,
No one likes to buy pig in poke.
There is no good excuse for sucn
work in putting up apples for market.
It does not take long to write the name
on each box But there is petter
wav than that. For $1.00 or less
man can buy a set OF rubber type
with a suitable holder and can very
quickly set up the name OF any apple
that grows. Having an INK PAD ne
can stamp his boxes almost as last as
he can count We have such SET
of movable type, bought of the Z. o.
Stamp company, of Seattle. Besides
this means of stamping, we nave per
manent stamps for our leading Varl-
cites of apples These cost ABOUT
* cents each. For a few cents each
we get stamps so that we can marx
tho grade of our apples as four Tier,
three tier. three and half, four ana
q half tier or five tier. In the car ol
annles above referred to there was
nothing to indicate what the craze
was in any box. The name OF the
grower was on each box, but it would
hove been far better if that had peeh
iaft off for it is a positive damage
to anv man to have it known that ne
nut I'D the apples in the way ne ulu'
But the worst is to come YET ooino
of the boxes were opened anu We
found four tiers in the hrst layer d.
the top and bottom and IN the iilluuie
some apples not big enough 10 pach
Ave tier. This was positively dlslon-
est But it was bad policy as Wen:
Nobody is fooled by such methou VI
hacking. Most buyers open apps
boxes on the side and examine inc
middle tiers. In the long run anu
generally in the short run, too' Ine
grower does himself more harm Inan
any one else.
give, the above facts not for the
nurnose of injuring the grower, lor
both the name and location OF inc
grower are withheld, but tor Jhe pur-
nose of giving the following ADVICE
Mark the name of the variety on inc
hoy mark the grade as to the llers
and be very sure that the inside re-
veals what the outside indicates by the
marking. Use the utmost care TO nave
an honest pack. This is not only
right but it is good policy as we'll
Many man is disappointed at ms
returns and thinks that the commits
sion man is dishonest. This may some
times be true, but in very many cases
to nv certain knowledge, 1t is the
condition of the fruit that afects the
price.
On Christmas morning | found lying
by my plate, when | sat down to
Iool,fao ct q fine book the title OF