The spectator., 1919-11-28

Prepared by the United States Depart
 ment of Agriculture)
 With 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. ttable basis. the bureau of markets has just published Farmers Bulletin No. l0S0. Preparation of Barreled Alp ples for the Market" The apple crop in 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 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 ly, reliable indication of maturity is a ground color which. when the fruit Is ready for picking, should be turn ing from clear green to a whtish 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- ples. the stem should be separated from the spur either by giving the fruit slight rotating motion com blned with q sharp upward twist or by exerting q slight pressure with the thumb or foreflnger 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 it 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 picllers have both hands free. The chief disadvantage of sacks Is that their use involves greater possibility of bruising the fruit. In emptying either the basket or the sack, care should be taken to avoid dropping the fruit. If basket is used, il 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 bru!sing 1t.
 Ladders Make or Mar.
 Much efficiency in picking depends on the use of ladders of the proper type. Several varieties are in common use. Step-ladders are especially sat lsfactory for work in small trees and in picking from the lower branches of larger trees. The most desirable types are wide and flaring 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 ta- bles that are moved about the orchard the packers usually carry the fruit in the picking utensil to the packing ta- ble. While it is common practice for the pickers to do this. it should be avoided by assigning certain members of tha 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 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 stop or drop it is lowered by means of an apron into the barrel. While work can be done rather rapidly with this table, it IS not altogether satisfactory, as the fruit frequently crowds past the sorters and permits carelessness on their part. The canvas or burlap table Is made with piece of this ma tprial stretched over rectangular