Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1894 — TRICKS OF THE TRADES. [ARTICLE]

TRICKS OF THE TRADES.

How to “Deacon” Apples at Both Ends of the Market Barrels. “Apples are apples this year,” remarked Uncle Dave, as the four oldtimers again met to crack chestnuts. “Yes, boys, dear is the word. 1 priced a barrel of Baldwins this morning, and $4 was asked. I bought the barrel, and had it sent to the house. It was a stiff price, but they were good apples.” “How do you know that?” queried cld Bob. “Why, I had the man open the barrel, and could see myself.” “Still, the barrel may have been deaconed,” remarked old Bob. “‘Deaconed,’” repeated Uncle Dave; “what does that mean?” “I’ll tell you,” said old Bob. “In preparing and putting up apples for market, the practice of ‘deaconing,’ as it is called, is very extensively followed, that it means the topping off of a barrel of the fruit with the best and largest specimens. -It is said the term ‘deaconing’ originated in , the fact that some one holding the office of deacon in some church somewhere in New England had distinguished himself by adopting this system in putting >ip his apples for market. “At first the practice was to ‘deacon’ the apples at one end of the barrel only, but an incident led to* an improvement A dealer in a Maine town, who understood the trick, at one time sold a barrel of apples to a ; customer and lecommended them as j the choicest grown. In due time ! the barrel was opened and found to : contain a very inferior quality; where- I upon the customer, feeling that he I had been imposid upon, made bom-i

pliint to the seller, who very coolly observed that he must have opened the barrel at the wrong end. This experience, however, made him more careful in putting up his apples. Instead of Meaconing’ the barrels at one end he “deaconed’ them at both ends. ” —Boston Herald.