310 MINNESOTA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



should be followed with all the varieties that go into the various 

 fruit exhibits, so that when the fruit arrives at the fair the box 

 containing the single plate entries (which should be plainly marked 

 with its contents on the outside) can be carried to the single plate 

 entry table and its contents rapidly placed on exhibition. The box 

 containing the sweepstake exhibit can be carried to the sweepstake 

 table, etc. If the exhibitor has never tried this plan it will be a sur- 

 prise and delight to see how quickly the work of putting exhibits in 

 place at the fair will be done. Instead of its taking a day or two, it 

 will be out of the way in an hour or two and save you and others 

 much vexation and fatigue. 



A separate box for each class of exhibits is, of course, not an 

 absolute necessity, as all of them can be placed in one box or barrel 

 and separated in such a way that each one can be taken out by itself 

 and placed on the tables without confusion or mixing with the others. 



Packing Apples. — Fruit may be packed for the purpose of ex- 

 hibition in any kind of a receptacle that is firm, — and be sure that 

 the box or whatever it may be is packed solid full with fruit and any 

 unoccupied space in it is filled with some suitable material pressed 

 in tightly to prevent motion among its contents and consequent bruis- 

 ing. This is very important. Some of the best apples the writer 

 has seen at the fair have come in cases similar to those used for eggs, 

 with each apple wrapped in paper in a compartment by itself. 



Marking. — If the exhibitor wishes to be able to identify his ap- 

 ples after being placed on exhibition he can write his initials with a 

 pen and ink on the skin of the apple down next to the stem. Some 

 exhibitors do this. 



Packing Grapes. — In packing grapes for the fair, to preserve the 

 bloom the writer has found it the best plan to pack in small boxes or 

 in baskets, putting first a layer of some soft and elastic material in 

 the bottom, then a piece of newspaper, then a layer of bunches — 

 placed in a sloping position, stem end lowest, with paper between, so 

 the bunches will not touch one another — then a thickness or two of 

 newspaper, another layer of grapes, etc. The same process should 

 be followed in gathering the fruit and sorting it as described for ap- 

 ples, so that the single plate entries are put into a separate package 

 from the collection, etc. If grapes are packed in baskets they should, 

 if possible, be handled by the exhibitor and not consigned to the 

 tender mercies of an express company, by whom the fruit is almost 

 sure to be injured in rough handling. 



Packing Plums. — In the case of plums, while separate wrapping 

 is not objectionable, they would carry in fairly good shape by simply 

 putting the quantity required of each variety for each entry in separ- 



