Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1915-09-09
Rules for
Packing Fruit
Peaches.

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ing only when fully developed, but
firm or hard ripe. Yellow meated
varieties should show some yellow
color. The fruit should be picked
and laid, not dropped, in the basket
or pals, and should be taken from
the vessel only at the packing table.
All possible care should be used to
avoid bruises.
Use standard peach boxes; cleats
on top only; use 4d special orange
box cement nails for bottoms and
sides Drive nails one inch from
corner, four nails to each piece. Use
three 4d cement box nails for each
cleat, one in the center, and one
driven two inches from the end Of
the cleat. The cover should hold the
fruit firmly in the box but should not
bulge more than three-eights of an
inch. Use " Inch boxes only for
Elberta peaches, running so to "a,
both inclusive, avoiding the use OF
extra cleats except in extreme cases.
Peaches that are too large to be laid
five wide in the box should be packed
two and three in 4 " inch boxes. If
the peaches are roundish, as in the
case of Crawfords, it will be neces-
sary to use some 4-inch boxes with
this pack.
Peaches that will go five across
the box or smaller should be packed
three and three in 4-inch boxes. The
excellence of the pack depends upon
uniform grading. The peaches in
box should not vary more than one
eighth of an inch in diameter. All
peaches must be carefully wrapped
in suitable paper
Peaches that run less than SO to
the box must not be packed for ship
ment. Eighty-four count must be
the minimum for Elbertas. In pack
ing, the box should be set on an in
cline with the lower end of the box
to the packer. Both tiers should be
carried forward together. The
peaches should be placed in the box
stem end down, those in the top tier
resting in the spaces between those
in the lower tier so that no peach
will rest squarely on top of another.
Pack all peaches with the loose end
of the wrapper down. No overripe,
understood, immature, bruised, mis-
shapen, diseased, wormy or other
wise defective fruit should be packed.
The variety, numerical count and
growers name to be placed on the
label end of the box with rubber
stamps.
Prunes and Plums.
Pick as large a percentage as pos
slble with stems on.
Throw out all the stemless fruit
when skins are broken or torn.
Pickers should be very careful in
picking not to brush off the bloom
Gloves should never be used in
handling prunes and plums.
Prunes and plums should be hard
ripe for picking. Fruit should con-
tain some sugar and be matured
enough so it will continue ripening |
and have a good flavor.
Fruit should be free from all in
sect pests, scale, scab, blemishes and |
physical injuries.
Prunes and plums and all such
fruit should be packed in four-basket
prune crates, unless ordered other
wise. Fruit too small to pack 6X6
top should never be packed in prune
crates and should only be shipped in
8 Y Inch peach boxes.
Whenever possible use a square
pack.
Pack all Tragedies and Italians
three tiers deep, top layer stem end
down; bottom layers to be packed
and not jumbled; pack top tier with
creased side up and all the same way.
Bradshaws, Peach plums
and similar varieties that pack small
er than 5x5 in prune crates should
not be packed.