CHAPTER XIII. 
SHIPPING FRESH FIGS. 
Fresh figs are hardly known outside of the districts where they are 
grown, though few fruits are more relished when once introduced. In 
the large centers of population in England and France fresh figs are 
counted among the indispensable luxuries, and many people are 
engaged in cultivating them for the market, either in hothouses or in 
the open air. Before rapid transportation became possible fresh figs 
could not be shipped any distance from the place where grown. Now 
figs may be sent 500 or 400 miles if properly packed. When the sys- 
am of packing is better understood, and when special cars are devoted 
to transporting fresh figs, it will be possible to send them fresh and 
in good condition much greater distances without much risk or loss. 
There are two points to be kept in view in sending fresh figs. The 
figs must be picked when fully ripe, but before they have begun to 
shrivel, and they must not touch one another in the box. The best 
time to pick the fruit is an hour or two after sunrise, when all the dew 
has dried away. Figs picked when a light dry wind is blowing will 
keep longer. Only perfect figs should be used, and as nearly as pos- 
sible all should be of the same size, with no small figs mixed in. It 
will not pay to ship anything but the largest size of the best varieties. 
No uniform grade of boxes is possible, as each grade must depend upon 
the size of the figs and their shape and variety. The boxes should 
not weigh over 10 pounds, while 5-pound boxes would be even better. 
The ends should be of three-fourths, the bottom of one-half, and the 
sides and top of one-fourth inch boards. There should be an open 
crack between the pieces of the bottom and top, and the sides should 
have an open space of one-fourth of an inch at top and bottom. The 
boxes should be only deep enough to hold one layer of figs if the 
variety is tender, but if thick skinned it might hold two layers. 
In order to keep the figs from crowding one another long strips of 
paper are used. Any stiff white or brown paper will do. These strips 
are as long as the box and about twice as wide as the fig. The strip is 
folded lengthwise before being placed in the box. When in position, 
half of the folded strip will rest on the bottom of the box, while the 
other half will stand up at right angles. In the angle between the two 
the figs are placed one by one in a single row, thus resting on the bot- 
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