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large as it could be used for shipping purposes. When we came to peach baskets we 

 ■were of the opinion that twelve quart baskets were preferable to baskets holding half a 

 bushel, from the fact that the fruit would carry safer in them, and enable the peach- 

 grower to place his peaches in the market in an honest shape. In fact, he could have 

 control of his baskets, and nobody could accuse him of dishonesty, because it would not 

 be understood that there was half a bushel in the package. We could not agree on any 

 conclusion ; and we decided not to make any report unless this meeting wished it. One 

 member of the Committee opposed everything that the other two of us proposed. 



Mr. Pettit. — I am in favour of our shipping the fruit in such packages as will 

 bring us the most money. If we were required by law to ship any certain sized packages 

 we could not sliip sometimes in as good shape as would be desirable. In the case of the 

 early peaches, for instance, you will get as much for the small packages as you would 

 for the larger ones. It is to the interest of the grower, I think, to preserve his freedom 

 in this matter as far as he can. Of course it is different with the consumer. 



Mr. Dempsey. — It occurs [to me that, supposing there was some authorized size 

 for the peach basket, a man might honestly ship half baskets as hajf baskets, because if 

 there is a law that regulates the size of a bushel of potatoes it does not follow that a man 

 must always have a bushel in every quantity he sells. 



Mr. Bucke. — It appears to me that this age of civilization requires universal measures; 

 and I do not see why the fruit business should not have a standard measure just as well 

 as anything else. If a person sells a small gallon for an imperial gallon he is hauled up 

 now-a-days. I do not see why there should not be a standard for fruit as well as a wine 

 measure or a dry measure. 



Mr. Drurv. — It just depends on whose interest you are looking at. If you are 

 looking at the interest of the grower you had better leave it so that he can make a little 

 dediaction — not large enough, perhaps, to attract attention, but large enough to do a 

 service to him. But if there is to be justice and fair play all round, then I say there 

 should be a standard. 



Mr. Gott. — I maintain that it is an injury to the grower not to have a standard. 

 It occurs something like this : An honest grower takes a half bushel, say of peaches, 

 and charges so much for them. " Oh, but," says the buyer, "we get them in Toronto 

 for so much a bushel ; they are half bushels." " Well, are you sure they are half 

 bushels?" "Oh, yes, they are half bushels." ^t the same time they are not half 

 bushels. In this way the home-grower is injured. Therefore I think it is important 

 that we should have a standard. I would say it is not only in the interest of the fruit 

 growers, but also in the interest of the public. We should have something, especially 

 in the case of strawberries and raspberries, and in the case of peaches. As for grapes, 

 they are sold by the pound, and we know just exactly what we are getting. 



Mr. Biggar. — There are two sorts of baskets introduced for peaches, twelve-quart 

 baskets and fourteen-quart baskets ; and I have known men with fourteen-quart baskets 

 selling them at the same price as those with the twelve-quart baskets. Now, when this 

 has been done somebody has got a bargain, or somebody has got cheated. If we used 

 only fourteen-quart baskets we could put a half-bushel in them without crushing them, 

 and the fruit would come to the consumer in a good condition. I would be in favour of 

 selling peaches by weight — making so many pounds a bushel, and making the baskets 

 accordingly — making three sizes of baskets. 



A Member. — Couldn't that apply to all fruits'? 



Mr. Biggar. — Yes, to berries and other small fruits. I shipped some peaches last 

 year in the large baskets in order that they should go in good condition. I sent them to 

 CoUingwood, and explained that the baskets held fourteen quarts. Still they did not 

 give sati.^faction. I put more peaches in than I put in the twelve-quart baskets ; but 

 they were not heaped up. They were in good condition ; but they were not satisfactory, 

 and I had to go back to the twelve-quart baskets. 



Mr. Beadle. — I quite agree with Mr. Drury's view of the matter. I think that 

 what is fair for one would be fair for the other. If the grower of fruit wants to be honest 

 and treat his customer honestly he ought to be willing to sell a bushel for a bushel, and 

 not sell fourteen quarts for a half bushel. A law was introduced, if I remember rightly, 



