172 Mississippi Valley Horticultural Society. 



shipper's control; while one maj'^ succeed in sending strawberries from New 

 Orleans to Chicago, others may not have their goods arrive in evei\fair con- 

 dition at either Louisville, Cincinnati or St. Louis. Much, very much, de- 

 pends on the manner the fruit is handled before the express takes it. 



If it were possible for each shipper to be at the end of the route and see 

 his fruit there, some degree of light would fall upon his vision, which, without 

 it, he would emphatically deny the imternity, and insist that his neighbor's 

 fruit had been substituted. Much, then, depends upon the Iiandling of the 

 fruit, especially berries. 



The first requisite in this direction is the condition of the berries before 

 picking. The strawberry should be clean, dry and free from dirt or sand. 

 Never pick for adistant market Avet or over-ripe berries. If you have no local 

 or near market, pick and throw away ; much less loss will come by heroic 

 treatment, and your plantation will be in much better condition for the next 

 picking, with few or no over-ripe or soft berries. 



Watch the pickers' hands, when berries are in condition to travel. If any 

 one has stained hands, discard at once, unless reform is sure. Each berry 

 with the half-inch stem should be picked and put in the quart box before 

 another is taken hold of. Do not allow the pickers of strawberries or red 

 raspberries to retain in the hands more than two or three berries at a time 

 at the utmost. Pick less and pay more for it. Insist upon great care on this 

 point. 



Each picker should have a case holding four to six quarts and provided 

 with some covering to shade the berries from the sun while the picker is at 

 work. Much damage is caused by neglect in this direction. If no natu- 

 ral shade is convenient, you must provide one, as indicated. While on the 

 stem or twig the fruit can withstand a great degree of direct heat from the 

 sun, but when once taken off a much less heat will cause serious damage. 

 Fill the quart box full and round up; press with the hand slightly but firmly 

 so as to leave the box full and firm, but do not jjress enough to bruise or 

 break the fruit. Use the twenty-four quart case and put double bottoms to 

 the quart boxes, well fastened with tacks to the four sides, sufficient for one- 

 half the top layer of every case — one-half a bottom will do for the double. 

 The reason for this is obvious. Should the bottoms of tlie quarts become un- 

 fastened, as usually made, they sink down upon the berries beneath and the 

 consequent result of the " jam " manufactured in this way is to find no market , 

 they are absolutely worthless; besides the stains of the bleeding fruit deface not 

 only the poor sufferer, but all with which it may come in contact, especially 

 those beneath, and when unloaded from the car the aj^pearance is more that 

 of the slaughter house than the clean, dry looking conveyance in which they 

 were placed. The verdict at the inquest will be '• murdered in the house of 

 its friends." This is no fancy picture. Such results are seen daily during 

 the berry season, and the wonder is that such fruit sells as well as it often 

 does. 



As the managing of the pickers and packers is distinct from my subject. I 



