The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1920-01-09

prepared by the United States Depart.
ment of Agriculture.)
With a view to meeting the needs
of apple growers in the East, middle
West and elsewhere who have moi
placed their business on the most prof
table basis, the bureau of markets has
just published Farmers Bulletin NO
1850, 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 he 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
vi IlOI llIc c Nv uCNNloBS iish
ly, a 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 whitish green
or ~greenish yellow. Yellow, green and
russell 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 he
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-
prevail. 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 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 of ladders of the proper
type. Several varieties are in common
use. Step-ladders' are especially sat
is~factory for work in small trees ant
in picking from the lower branches O.
larger trees. The most desirable types
are wide and fiaring at the bottom
narrow at the top and supported witt
but one prop. AS a rule, not enough
consideration is given to the selection
. of ladders.
Where the crop is packed over ia
DltS TIA arc AuoNSu ooout 'hS
the packers usually carry the fruit i
the picking utensll to the packing ia
BILE. While it is common practice TO
the pickers to do this, it should b
avoided by assigning certain member
of the crew to this task. They shoul
also furnish the pickers with empt
receptacles as needed.
Use Of Sorting Tables.
Two types of grading or sorting t.
bles are used almost exclusively wher
the fruit is graded in the orchard, an
they are used to a large extent !
packing houses. These are the apro
table and the canvas or burlap tabl
The apron table or a variation of tn
type is commonly used in all section
The bed, which is Slated, so that tras
falls through it, is inclined, causir
the fruit as it is graded to roll to IL
lower end, where on opening a ste
or drop it is lowered by means of
apron into the barrel. While VOL
can be done rather rapidly with tn
table, it is not altogether %satisfactor
as the fruit frequently crowds pa
the sorters and permits c%arelessne
on their part. The n OF burls
table is made with q piece of this m
terial stretched over a rectangul