The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1914-04-30
BETTER BOXES FOR
FOREIGN SHIPMENTS

Il is asserted By those who have
made investigations Of the conditions
that have prevailed for the past sever
| al wears. since apple exports have be-
gun to increase at an important rate,
| that the boxes in which Northwestern
fruit is shipped should be made strong
er. The Northwestern Fruit Exchange
recently began an investigation Of the
| losses that have been sustained.
! The American consul at Berlin, Ger
many, in a report recently issued,
quotes a large importer as follows:
BOXED apples are gaining IN favor
steadily with the public, but IT IS IN
sisted that stronger boxes should be
used, as the boxes now in use are too
weak and fruit is bruised very fire.
Quently while in transit.
The February number Of the Fruit
World Of Australasia cOmmends to Aus
traiian apple shippers the Pacific north
west style Of packing, but adds that
the American case is too weak for ex-
port. Under date of March 20. +. S.
| A. Maude, European manager Of the
/ Northwest Fruit Exchange, writes:
"Your apple and pear boxes, as we
Il have previously written you, certainly
need to be made Of thicker or stronger
/ wood in order TO stand up well in tran
/ sit. The loss through breakBge this
/ season has been very considerable and
/ in the growers own interests we GER
/ tainly think that the matter should re-
eeive serious consideration before an
other season comes around.
Various steamship companies report
as follows:
Holland-America line-"We wish to
state that in our opinion your boxes are
in general not strong enough to with
stand transportation. "
- Hamburg. American line - 'ln the
opinion of our practical men the pres
ent package is too fiimsy to attain the
best results.
French line-"For some time we
have endeavored to get shippers to
strap their cases, which would help tC
eliminate heavy shortages and break
age"
Cunard line-"Our wharf superin-
tendent expresses the opinion that be
considers the poxes now used for apple
shipments too frail to porperly protect
AitlI AbhNtliAHs
While naturally the strongest com.
plants concern export shipments, still
conditions in the domestic trade are fai
from satisfactory.
Even more serious than the actua
breakage of packages is the excessive
amount Of "bOx bruise" which change:
the appearance of the fruit to degree
almost unbelievable by the orlgina
packer or shipper. A sitter side t.
the boxes and softer, more cushion
like pad on top and bottom appears t.
be the most natural and least radica
remedy.
Most of the box makers of the north
! west are now recognizing the demand
for stronger boxes ard are quoting TO
boxes with sides Z inches thick. 1t II
strongly urged that nothing lighter b'
used. A new box side is being Offered
this year that is built up of three lay
ers of veneer. This side is much mor'
| rigid than solid lumber and appears t.
be practically unbreakable. 1t is ne
heavier than the solid side and we com
| mend its consideration as apparently
great improvement. A new corne
| clasp is being designed in Chicago tina
/ promises to aid materially in prevent
ing breakage and pilfering. Many as
/ sociations have decided to use six-pen
i ny coated box nails this year instead o
\ tiVe-penny.