Arizona state miner., 1919-11-28


ment of Agriculture
With a view to meeting the needs
of apple growers In the East, middle
West and elsewhere who have not
placed their business on the most prof
liable basis, the bureau Of markets has
Just published Farmers Bulletin No.
1880, Preparation Of Barreled APP
pies for the Market" The apple crop
in a majority of the states is shipped
in barrels.
A large amount of the barreled fruit
reaching the market each season is
Impaired in quality by being picked
at the wrong stage of maturity, either
too early or too late. The grower must
realize that fruit is not ready to be
picked when it clings to the spurs so
tightly that the spurs are pulled out
or broken. Furthermore, the color OF
fruit, which eventually turns red, is
not always a reliable index, the in
tensity of the color being dependent
upon the prevailing clOudiness or
brightness of the weather. Whether
or not the red color develops normal
-,
a ground color which, when the fruit
is ready for picking, should be turn
ing from clear green to a whitish green
or greenish yellow. Yellow, green and
russet varieties of apples are generally
ready to pick when they have attained
the proper size and the stems separate
readily from the spurs. In picking ap-
pies, the stem should be separated
from the spur either by giving the
fruit a slight rotating motion COM
bined with a sharp upward twist or by
exerting a slight pressure with the
thumb or forefnger at the joint of the
stem and spur just as the fruit is
pulled.
A variety of picking utensils are
commented on in the bulletin, some of
which are mentioned for special ap-
prOval. In removing the crop 1t is gen.
orally advantageous to use both sacks
and baskets, as the latter are especial
ly convenient for gathering fruit near
the ground, while the sacks can be
used to advantage for ladder work, as
the pickers have both hands free. The
chief disadvantage Of sacks is that
their use involves a greater possibility
of bruising the fruit. In emptying
either the basket or the sack, care
should be taken to avoid dropping the
fruit. If a basket is used, it should
be lowered to the bottom of the lug
box or other receptacle and inverted
gently. A certain type of sack is con-
structed with a drop bottom, so that
the fruit can be emptied without
bruising it.
Ladders Make or Mar.
Much efficiency in picking depends
on the use 0f ladders of the proper
type. Several varieties are in common
use. Step-ladders are especially sat-
iSfactOry for work in small trees and
in picking from the lower branches of
larger trees. The most desirable types
are wide and faring at the bottom,
narrow at the top and supported with
but one prop. AS rule, not enough
consideration is given to the selection
of ladders.
Where the crop is packed over ia
bles that are moved about the orchard
the packers usually carry the fruit in
the picking utensil to the packing ta-
BILE. While it is common practice for
the pickers to do this, it should be
avoided by assigning certain members
of the crew to this task. They should
also furnish the pickers with empty
receptacles as needed.
Use Of Sorting Tables.
Two types Of grading or sorting ta-
bles are used almost exclusively where
the fruit is graded in the orchard, and
they are used to large extent in
packing houses. These are the apron
table and the canvas or burlap table.
The apron table or a variation of this
type is commonly used in all sections.
The bed, which is Slated, so that trash
falls through it, is inclined, causing
the fruit as it is graded to roll to the
lower end, where on opening q stop
or drop it is lowered by means Of an