farmers' institutes. 223 



baskets, with bottoms padded with three or four thicknesses of burlap 

 and see to it that a peach is never dropped in, but must be carefully laid 

 in place. 



Place the basket in spring wagons to haul to the packing sheds 

 which, if possible, should not be more than a quarter of a mile away. 

 Handle the fruit as little as possible. Allow it to cool ofif and pack out 

 of the baskets, at the same time sorting into grades. The grades should 

 be as follows: Fancy, No. i, No. 2 and culls. The first, of course, will 

 consist of the largest, most shapely and highest colored specimens; No. 

 I's the bulk of the best fruit; No. 2's that which is slightly off in size 

 or color but sound; and the culls will consist of bruised, broken or 

 over-ripe specimens. Much of this last may be sold on the ground and 

 the remainder sent to the evaporator. The fancy specimens should be 

 packed in small baskets or boxes, holding a dozen or dozen and a half, 

 to supply special markets. The No. i grade should be packed in one- 

 half peck baskets and these baskets packed in either four or six-basket 

 crates. The No. 2 grade may be packed in one-third bushel baskets which 

 are also crated. 



Load the fruit on refrigerator cars as soon as packed, leaving spaces 

 between the crates, and in addition a space of at least two feet is always 

 to be left in the top of the cars. If this space is filled with crates, the 

 warm air will rise and quickly cause the fruit to decay. If peaches are 

 well loaded, they will ship perfectly and may be kept from five to seven 

 days after they reach their destination. 



It is now becoming possible to sell peaches on track (that is, as 

 soon as the cars are loaded agents on the ground will buy them, pay- 

 ing cash therefor.) This is the most satisfactory way of disposing of 

 a large crop. \\'hen it is not possible to ship in car load lots, the fruit 

 may be expressed and the smaller towns are usually the best markets. 

 Western and southern markets usually demand large packages, while 

 the eastern and northern markets require smaller packages and a better 

 quality of fruit. 



VARIETIES. 



The question of what varieties of peaches to plant is quickly dis- 

 posed of. It depends on what they are wanted for — home use, to dis- 

 pose of in a local market or for shipment. For a family orchard there 

 should be a succession of ripening fruit from the earliest to the latest. 

 There are a number of early ripening peaches, but most of them rot 

 badly and it is very difficult to grow them. Perhaps the best early peach, 

 because usually the freest from rot, is Mt. Rose. For a summer variety 

 to follow ]\It. Rose, Family Favorite would give satisfaction. This is 



