THE GRAPE. 35 
THE MARKETING OF GRAPES, 
The best way of sending Grapes to market is a 
matter which often causes some anxiety. It is of the 
utmost importance to the vendor of fruit that what he 
sends to the seller is thoroughly well packed, so that 
no fault can be found, which, by-the-bye, is frequently 
done with a view to get the lot at a cheaper rate, and 
sometimes to get it for nothing. I have experienced 
some of these dodges, and would like to caution the 
reader against them if he has any fruit to send to 
market. 
As regards sending home-grown grapes to market 
so as to present them with as much of the bloom on 
them as it is possible to do, take baskets holding, say, 
not more than twenty pounds each. These may or may 
not contain cross-handles ; but I think handles afford a 
facility for carrying, as then one person ean carry one 
basket without much strain. The fruit being ready, 
take the baskets into the vinery in the afternoon, when 
the fruit will be dry, and having a nice lot of perfectly 
dry lawn-mowings of rather a long growth (say 5 or 
6 inches) which have been made in the sun some time 
before put some of it all round the sides of the 
baskets to form a padding. Then place some packing 
or tissue-paper on the hay, and turn the basket on one 
end, a little slanting. Then let a second man cut the 
bunches and bring them to. the one holding the basket ; 
place each bunch endways, 7.e. the stalks of each 
bunch uppermost placing the bunches as close together 
as they can possibly lie, and continue to do so till 
each basket is nearly filled, and when near the top let 
D 2 
