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Five shipping containers were tested to compare the costs of using each and to find out how well they protected Golden Delicious apples from bruising. These five shipping containers were (1) cell-packs with corrugated partitions; (2) cell-packs with chipboard partitions; (3) tray-packs with deep-cup molded-pulpboard trays; (4) tray-packs with shallow-cup molded-polystyrene-foam trays; and (5) tray-packs with shallow-cup molded-pulpboard trays. Costs and charges for packing materials, direct labor for packing and handling, storage, and transport were higher for the cell-packs. These costs were $2.39 per box for corrugated cell-packs, S2.29 per box for chipboard cell-packs, $2.09 per box for deep-cup molded-pulpboard tray-packs, $2.04 per box for shallow-cup molded plastic tray-packs, and $2.04 per box for the shallow-cup molded-pulpboard tray-packs. More of the apples were bruised in shallow-cup pulpboard tray-pack boxes-27 percentthan in deep-cup pulpboard tray-pack boxes, shallow-cup plastic tray-pack boxes, corrugated cell-pack boxes, and chipboard cell-pack boxes-18, 19, 19, and 22 percent, respectively. More of the shallow-cup plastic trays were damaged than either the deep-cup or shallow-cup pulpboard trays on arrival in eastern markets. The plastic trays broke and tore under the pressures of shipments. Deep-cup pulpboard trays were easier to remove from the box and handle than shallow-cup pulpboard trays. Damage to the corrugated cell partitions was less than damage to the chipboard partitions. Wholesale receivers usually preferred the "row-face" appeal of the cell-packs, but retailers usually preferred tray-packs for handling and display. Some retailers preferred deep-cup pulpboard tray-pack boxes because these trays protected the apples well and could be used for display. Of the five shipping containers tested, deep-cup pulpboard tray-pack boxes offer the best combination of cost and performance for packing and transporting Washington State Golden Delicious apples. Since this study was begun in 1964, tray-packs have been increasingly used for packing and shipping Washington State Golden Delicious apples. On an annual basis, these apples cost about $500,000 less to pack and ship in 1969 than in 1964 because of the shift from cell-packs to tray-packs. It is estimated that if all of the apples now packed in cell-pack boxes were packed and shipped in deep-cup pulpboard tray-pack boxes, an additional $380,000 could be saved annually.

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) quality and consumer acceptance at purchase were found to be similar between stem and stemless fruit. Stemless fruit had more of the desired mahogany color at harvest, but stem fruit displayed superior color at point of retail sale. At simulated retail sales the color difference between stem and stemless fruit was not evident. There was no significant diference in firmness or soluble solids content between stem or stemless fruit. Stemless fruit were more bruised than stem, but stem fruit showed more surface pitting. Practical advantages of stemless fruit included: increased efJiciency at harvest, elimination of some packinghouse equipment, improved use of packing materials and easier consumer packaging, and reduced damage to fruit.

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