The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-10-17
Packing Apples.

Packing Apples.
Unfortunately there is no prescribed
standard for the size OF a barrel Sew
tral states have adopted standards,
hut these vary In shape and size. A
barrel used In several states and
sometimes called our Standard Apple
Barrel is OF the following dimension:
Length OF stave. 2Slh inches: diam
tter OF head 17h inches: outside cir.
conference at the bulge, 81 inches;
capacity. 100 quarts. dry measure
There IL decided need for federal
legislation giving US uniform bar.
rel
Packing Table.
The table shown In Figure Is we'll
tdapted for use either In the orchard
OF packing house. The table in the
Illustration Is feet long by 4 feet
vide. sides Z inches high. Stats In the
bottom OF the bed are l inch square,
and are spaced inch apart. The legs
at the lower end are SO inches long.
allowing the bottom OF the bed TO
clear the top OF the barrel. The legs
at the upper end are ~ inches. giving
a 6Inch pitch to the table. The apples
can easily be inspected as they roll
into the apron and imperfect thrown
out When the apron Is filled II can
be slowly lowered into the barrel with
out bruislng the fruit. This packing
table may be mounted on wheels for
convenience In orchard work or may
be built larger. with two tunnels. al.
lowing two barrels to be filled at once.
Facing the Barrel.
To face barrel properly requires
some skill and care in selecting fruit.
The object OF facing is TO give the bar
rel an attractive appearance when
case. to deceive the purchaser. The
fruit used should represent. as far as
elIe Is concerned. the general run OF
the whole barrel The mistake is too
often made OF picking out all the
largest apples for facers. These are
frequently poorly colored and do not
makes as good an appearance as the
medium sized. better colored spsci-
mems. All the face apples should be
OF uniform size and well colored. Be
ginning on the outer edge. they should
be arranged. stem down. In concentric
circles. until the head Is covered.
Care should be taken to select fruit
that will Just I'LL up the circles with.
out leaving any spaces or requiring
eny to be placed on edge. When the
center Is reached. II should be filled
with either one. three or four apples.
I 'igure ~ Never use large or small
pie to fll out center space. as II
would spoil the appearance of the
whole face. By selecting apples meas
uring three to three and ons-eighth
inches In diameter the outer circle may
be filled with fifteen apples. the second
ring by nine, and three will nll the
center. (Figure ~ The next smaller
size that can be used measures two
and three-quarters to two and seven.
eighths inches In diameter. II will
take seventeen OF these TO all the outer
circle. eleven to MI the second. and
four TO nll the center. A size OF fruit
intermediate between these two could
not be used. Many growers face all
their barrels with these two sizes.
In case the fruit runs smaller than
either OF these two sizes, one must
select that sine which will make three
circles and leave the center TO be NIL
ed with one apple. In the case OF very
large apples. like Fallawater, they may
be arranged In two circles. with space
IN the center. TO be filled with one
apple Only one layer OF facers Is
necessary. but one should place over
the inter spaces OF this layer a few
fruits with their colored side down.
When the barrel Is opened solid mass
OF color should greet the eye.
Filling and failing the Barrel
The filling OF the barrel should be
accompanied by vigorous shaking after
every half bushel OF fruit has been
added. This settles the fruit into Its
permanent place. 30 that there will be
no ioosening and rafting after the
barrel Is packed. When the barrel 10
nearly filled the upper layer must be
arranged by hand to form level sur