No. 7. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 515 



that would attempt to assort beautiful delicate peaches with a 

 machine of auy kind, aud hope to preserve their beauty. 



A Member. — Do your Italians know what kind of fruit to pick? 



MK. HALE. — I wish I knew one-half as much about fruit as those 

 Italians from the North of Italy. In that section of Italy they have 

 been reared among fruit for a thousand years, and they know how to 

 handle a peach just as a mother knows how to handle a baby; just at 

 the right time and right place. 



Another important factor in the handling of fruit is, that it wants 

 to be packed carefully, and as tight as you can get it, and honestly 

 packed from top to bottom, so that there is no difference in the 

 character of the fruit all the way through. Each and every pack- 

 age if it is a Georgia carrier, the lower tier of basket should be so 

 full that the tray will fit firmly down on the fruit, the upper tier of 

 baskets should be so full that the cover when nailed on, will bring 

 a full pressure down on the fruit. Where you use a climax basket 

 with a cover, have the basket so full that there is a strong pressure 

 on the fruit. In New England Ave use a special colored red netting 

 entirely, simply to hold the fruit in its place, and keep those who 

 handle it on its way to market from stealing it. But honest packing 

 and honest assorting will pay more than anything else. I think 

 that is the one great essential, and after you have done that, every 

 basket of peaches should be labeled with the name of the shipper, 

 and his post office address, and any other statement of fact and 

 taffv vou want to give vour customers that will aid them to know 

 and appreciate your fruit. After it is jiacked honestly you are en- 

 titled to toot your own horn all you want. 



It pays to advertise horticultural and orchard products as well 

 as other lines of business. Every farmer should be an advertiser 

 of his products. There is no reason why he should not do so, any 

 more than the man in other business. I think every farm should 

 be named. I go through Harrisburg, or Philadelphia, or through 

 any of your prosperous towns of Pennsylvania, and see manufactur- 

 ing establishments in full blast, and see a great sign somewhere in 

 connection with the operations of the x)lant telling me who owns it, 

 and what they are manufacturing, and in that way we know where 

 to get the manufactured articles. I reiterate, it is just as profitable 

 business to put out a sign at the farm, and on our packages pro- 

 clainaing to the world your business, and who you are. If you are 

 doing a good business, it will bring others there, and if you are not, 

 it will turn them away. It looks as if the farmers were ashamed of 

 their business in not advertising in some way their products. Put 

 up a little blackboard at the farm, and state on it who owns it. and 

 what that farm sells then chalk up from day to day or week by 

 week, just what you may have for sale at that particular time. If 

 you have a good peach crop, and are to sell in home market, you 

 should advertise in the local press that you are doing business, and 

 what you have, and do it legitimately and well. If you sell to re- 

 tail dealers, it is necessary to advertise, either by letter or a personal 

 call so they can come to your orchard and see what you have, and 

 also write them to come when your orchard is in full bloom, and they 

 will see that it is clean, and will produce clean fruit. I say get them 

 out, if you have to pay their railroad fare; bring them out when it is 



