Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1915-01-29
somewhat indifferent in selecting
the most attractive barrel.

MANY barrels arrive III tAS
market caked with mud and dirt
and made of inferior cooperage
stock.
A strong white barrel should
be selected and every care should
be taken to keep the barrel as
clean as possible, so that when
| it arrives on the market-lt will
present an attractive appearance.
The labelling is..of importance.
All barrels should be stencilled
with blue ink preferably and not
written, giving the name of the
variety, the grade and size
aud the meme Of the ewners.
IF packed under the national
packing law it should be marked
standard grade" and / strongly
advise all growers to pack under
this law.
In packing a crop of apples an
apple grower should have con-
stantly in his minds eye,the APP
pearance that his apples will
make when they are placed on
the market.
Even if he sells in the ard,
if his apples out sell his negh-
bors on the market, while he
will not realize more money for
that year vet in subsequent years
he will probably receive larger
price and will certainly receive
more offers and more considera-
tion from the buyers.
1t is the little re6nements in
apple packing which puts the
pack of an intelligent and care
full grower above the average
class and creates a demand for
the apples of this grower, which
even on a glutted market sell at
good prices.
A buyer judges shipment of
apples by little things, apparent
ly inconsequential in themselves,
but in the collective they are of
sufficient importance to injure or
advance the sale of apples by
25 cents to S1.00 a barrel, as COM
pared with other brands of equal
ly as sound fruit.
There should be two grades of
No. l apples packed. One con-
tanning minimum size ~ inches
and upwards and one containing
apples minimum size IA to IN
inches.
Both of these grades should be
strictly No. rs, graded only as
to size.
If it is then desired to barrel
second grade, this should be
done separately and it is often
advisable to pack drops with Sec
ond grade, and if so they should
be labelled as windfalls or Sec
onds, so that the buyer would
know exactly what he is getting.
II has been customary in this
locality to pack one first grade
and then pack the second grade
containing the sound apples be-
low 2H or IN inches with the
seconds.
If there are sufficient 2A to
IN inch apples in an orchard to
justify separate pack, this is
not a good policy, as a uniform
IA inch pack will often bring
good prices as No. apples, but
if mixed with seconds or drops
viii, only sell for the second
grade price.
l am of the opinion that in the
near future there must be some
agreement among apple growers
or by legislation if necessary to
further standardize the barrel ap
pie trade.
In my judgment it would be
we'll to make the Sulzer law man.
datory, SO as to prevent the mis-
branding of the different grades.
AT the present time many APP
pies which are really seconds are
labelled No. l and No. ] apples
which are not especially fancy
are labelled fancy or extra fancy
AS the national apple law is
not now compulsory, it is being
used by a very small proportion
of the apple growers.
l do not think that there would
be any hardships or injustice te
growers to make this law manda
tory for the No. ! grade, making
proper provisions for the SECOND
grade. The compulsory adoption
of this law would in effect only
mean the proper branding of eacf
grade, as the grading specifica
tions are lenient for No. | apples
| New York State has adopted .
mandatory law standardizing thu
different grades, which is yer,