The Bulletin. 9 



It would take half a bushel of potatoes to fill it as it now stands. Fig. 

 2 B shows a crate of cabbage in the same condition. Buyers cannot be 

 expected to pay the price of full packages for those only filled in part. 

 Not only is the sale of produce affected in this way, but loose packing 

 invariably causes bruises and the general defacement of each specimen. 

 Too tight packing should also be guarded against, as this frequently 

 results in bruising. There is a "happy medium" in packing that can 

 be learned only by experience. 



In some localities growers have found it profitable to wrap certain 

 kinds of their fruit and vegetables before packing. Suitable paper of a 

 light grade is used for this purpose, and if the stock is "fancy," each 

 wrapper has printed on it an attractive label bearing the name of the 

 brand, where and by whom grown. The cost of these wrappers is very 

 slight, and they not only serve as a means of advertising fancy produce, 

 but they improve the appearance of the whole package. Further than 

 this, the use of wrappers has a tendency to prolong the keeping qualities 

 of the fruit or vegetables. One or more peaches or tomatoes in a pack- 

 age may begin to rot. This condition causes a liberation of moisture 

 that, unless checked, will spread and cause decay to develop in other 

 specimens. When each fruit or vegetable is wrapped the paper absorbs 

 a certain per cent of this moisture, thus checking for a time the spread 

 of decay. Wrappers are also an aid in keeping produce firm and snug 

 in the packages. 



When produce is packed, ready for shipment, see that each package 

 has the cover securely fastened in place. Complaints are frequently 

 made regarding the condition of fruits and vegetables upon reaching 

 market, owing to the careless and insecure way in which covers have been 

 fastened. ]STo matter how carefully the packing has been done, products 

 will not reach their destination in good condition unless properly cov- 

 ered. One often sees produce of excellent quality reach the market in a 

 badly damaged condition on account of an insufficient number of nails 

 or fasteners used at the time of shipment. Thoughtfulness in matters 

 of this kind usually means greater profits to the shipper. 



LABELS. 



The practice of labeling or branding fruit and vegetable packages 

 is a point worthy of some consideration. A great many growers fail to 

 grasp the importance of this feature, particularly with reference to the 

 sale of their produce each successive year. They seem to hesitate about 

 the small additional expense incurred by this operation, and do not con- 

 sider that the money spent in this way will result in a quicker and more 

 profitable sale of their products during coming seasons. It has been 

 only within recent years that growers have made any attempt at mark- 

 ing their fruits and vegetables before placing them on the market. In 

 practically every other branch of industry producers have marked their 

 goods with some label, brand or trade-mark, to distinguish them from 

 the productions of others. The sale of these products is greatly influ- 

 enced by this distinction. 



The man who puts up an honest pack of first-class fruits or vegetables 

 in uniform, well-constructed packages need never fear that the money 

 spent for attractive labels will be wasted. For instance, a grower, after 

 carefully grading and packing his produce, puts his label on each pack- 



