Williams news., 1919-12-05
An Apple sl-er and Grader in opera tion.

Grader in Opera tion.
 frame, and is not fitted for running the fruit from the apron into the bar rel. The apples must be sorted by hand into baskets in which they are lowered into barrels. The advantage of this is that all apples are subject to
 careful inspection.
 | Sizing machines for barrel apples are gaining popularity. They have
 been used in the Northwest for several years for sizing boxed apples, but op- crate on different principle than that employed in barreled apple-sizing ma chimes. At present sizing machine ! are being used quite extensively fol baTrel packing in all sections to meet the demand. for apples of uniform size. The most common practice throughout the: barrel apple sections is to sepa- rate the fruit into two standard sizes, 2A to 21a inches and 21s inches and larger. There are a variety of ma chimes employed to do this work, each featuring some distinctive mechanical device or sorting process. In general, any of these will size apples satisfac- torily for barrel packing. In making selection, the apple grower must de termine which machine has a capacity proportiOnate to the size of his or chard and can be operated most eco nomically. He should also look for one of simple design and free from features requiring too much adjust ment, and should make sure that it will not bruise the fruit. The durabil- ity of the machine should also be con- sidered. The various methods of feed ing the fruit to the sizing machine should also be studied carefully, as it influences directly the total daily out put and consequently the cost of op- eration. Only small machines can be operated by hand power. Some of the simplest types having a capacity of perhaps 100 barrels day can be run in this way, but in most cases the gas oline engine or electric motor is pref erable.
 The apple grower raising any con- siderable quantity of fruit should give careful attention to the advantages of mechanical conveyors, which save much labor both in handling loose fruit and light packages.
 Operation of Grading Laws.
 The enactment of grading laws for apples is comparatively recent devel- ,opment. The present federal law, known as the Sulzer law, took effect July 1, 1913. and at about the same time number of states also passed laws. For several seasons the state laws have not been entirely success full in obtaining results desired. Many were enacted hurriedly. and most of them contained provisions not consist ent with commercial practices. The degree of enforcement in different states has varied markedly Further more, fruit from many of the states having these state laws frequently ap- pears in the same markets and the use of identical grade terms having differ ent meanings in different states has in a way defeated the purpose of the law. In spite of these objections, how ever, a state law that is practical in its specifications and intelligently en- forced will carry with it many advan- tages. @
 The grower who feels the need of a packing house will find suggestions in the section of the bulletin devoted to designs of such. buildings. Floor plans of various types are suggested.
 One provides for an output of POO barrels day, and a second plan shows a house equipped with three grading machines having total capacity of 1,2OO barrels a day. A third plan pro- viGes for an output from two machines with a total capacity of 100 barrels day.
 Partial suggestions relating to haul ing concludes the bulletin. As a large part of the barrel crop of the country is packed in the orchard. it is neees- sary to haul the packed fruit from two to fifteen miles. Under many condi- tions, especially where roads are fa- vorable, motortrucks are hest suited for this work. The farm wagon most commonly used is equipped with either an ordinary wagon bed or a three-pole frame, and has a capacity of 15 bar rels. Both types of wagon should be equipped with springs, preferably bol- ster springs. for careful handling of the packed fruit is quite as important as care in the packing operations. -.ss-s saa., -ls..