248 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



cept that part of the tree that did not get much of the mixture. Did not get more 

 than one-fifth of a crop off those rows. A considerable foliage, perhaps one-half, 

 dropped off of the eight rows that were sprayed a week sooner than these. Some 

 of the fruit injured. On the tirst four rows I had a pretty good crop, and most of 

 the trees had plenty of fruit left. I do not think from my experience it is wise to 

 use more than one ounce of Paris green to 48 or 50 gallons of the dilute Bordeaux 

 mixture. 1 am not through spraying yet, and shall try it again next season, if i 

 have anything to spray, and hope to have better success. 



PICKING. 



Picking should be done at the right time, and a great deal of care taken so 

 that the fruit may be started to destination without a particle of bruising. I use 

 half-bushel picking baskets, and haul to packing shed in a light spring wagon. 

 Here the packers assort cart fully as to size, and sound, perfect fruit. No wormy 

 or deformed specimens are packed for shipment at all, but sold on the home market 

 for what they will bring. 



To assist the packers, I have made a grader, by taking a piece of board three 

 feet long and boring three holes in it. Diameters of holes. If, 2 and 2^ inches, 

 respectively. Any peach that is not less than 2J inches in diameter, is what I term 

 fancy, and is carefully wrapped in pink sissue paper. Those that are 2 to 2^ inches 

 are wrapped in manilla paper, and are called mediums. This season I have packed 

 the fancy and mediums in 6baeket crates, using enough excelsior between top 

 layer of peaches and the middle or cover of crate to till all space so that the peaches 

 ■cannot be rolled about, no matter how roughly they are handled. In this way I have 

 handicaped the express messengers. I have shipped them packed in this manner to 

 Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Illinois, Kansas, Colorado and other distant states 

 without loss to the consignee. 



The peaches that are one and three-fourths to two inches in diameter are 

 packed in one-third bushel boxes and are sold for what they will bring. I believe 

 the ideal peach package would be one that would hold nine baskets instead of six. 

 Then they would be so heavy that messengers could not possibly throw them around, 

 and would be compelled to carry them and set them down. The only objection to 

 this size package that I can see would be that it holds more fruit than some dealers 

 would want to buy at one time. 



MARKaXING. 



Marketing is the business end of our labors. Some people can grow as nice 

 fruit as you would like to see, but after they get it, seem to have no tact for dis- 

 posing of it to good advantage. I have found it impossible so far to grow one- 

 half enough fruit to supply my customers. One thing must always be borne in 

 mind, and that is to never deceive a customer. Treat him so nicSly that after he 

 buys from you once he is your customer always whenever you have anything to 

 sell that he wants. 



Select the territory that you want to work, and work it for all that it is worth. 

 If you see that you will not have enough fruit to supply all your customers, wire 

 them at your own expense that their order will be filled, short, so many crates. 

 Give him an opportunity to protect his trade from some other point . This is worth 

 a good deal to him. 



I have heard indirectly that I will get two medals for peaches and apples at 

 Chicago this year, and am very proud of it, but I want to say that I owe all my 

 success to our very worthy President and Secretary and the State Horticultural 

 Society in general. I do not believe a man can grow fruit successfully in the State 



