MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 345 



the bottom head taken out and left loose in the barrel, the top head 

 < being the bottom in wagon ), nailed in and all hoops nailed except 

 those at the open end. Empty the pickers' basket gently into the 

 barrels. When filled, haul to cellar. 



PICKING. 



Do your best to get experienced and careful pickers. Hire them 

 by the day, except for picking berries. If picking on a large scale 

 always have an extra man to every 12 pickers to watch the work, make 

 ladders, handle fruit, etc. 



CONDITION. 



Dryness and as cool and even a temperature as practicable are 

 essential to the preservation of all fruit. From the moment of pick- 

 ing, it must be carefully protected from sun and moisture ; the latter 

 Is the surest agent of fermentation and decay. Have your packing 

 shed so arranged as to catch every breeze to help carry off the sur- 

 plus heat and moisture in the fruit. All fruit should be cooled oflf 

 before loading in car ; this is important as heat will increase in car. 



SELECTION AND PACKING. 



Choice, well handled, well selected, fruit always find a market 

 T^hen inferior fruit can not be sold to cover expenses. The best com- 

 mission houses do not want the business of careless packers. Quality, 

 not quantity, is what every fruit shipper should strive for. The say- 

 ing "There is always room at the top" is especially true in the fruit 

 business. Xever yield to the temptarion to top off your packages. 

 Put nothing in that you would be unwilling to see on the top. That is 

 your safest rule. To arrange the top fruit to show to the best advant- 

 age is, of course, advisable, just as you give a picture its best light. 

 Remember, your name or number is on every package and the dealer 

 is guarding his own reputation, which depends on his handling attract- 

 ive, uniform fruit. If he is deceived once only in your fruit he will 

 remember and shun your goods thereafter be they esrer so straight. 

 You will get more for your selected fruit than you would for twice the 

 quantity by letting your inferior fruit go in, besides saving labor, pack- 

 ages, transportation and reputation (and reputation is much to the 

 fruit-grower). Select carefully, not only as to size but stage of ripen- 

 ing. Pat into separate packages all unripe or over-ripe fruit that finds 

 its way to the packers, to be disposed of quickly or held longer, as 

 the case may be, without spoiling the appearance and sale of the stand- 

 ard fruit. Get your packages and make them up, in time to dry out 



