180 Strawberry-Growing 



then shakes the box to settle it, adds more berries to fill 

 it out at the corners, makes the top layer solid, and places 

 it in the crate. The grader then determines from the 

 size, appearance and "run" whether the crate should be 

 branded "Fancy" or "No. 1." Those who grow fancy 

 berries for a personal market give extra touches. Each 

 box may be wrapped in a sheet of thin parchment or 

 paraffin paper. This keeps out dust, and the berries 

 carry better and keep their bright color longer. The 

 paper is drawn over the box tightly, so that the berries do 

 not shake, and the fruit shows through, making a very 

 attractive package for a special trade. When berries are 

 sold in the general market, the top layer in the crate may 

 be covered with a single sheet of paper. 



Cooling. 



The sooner berries are placed in a cool place after 

 they are packed the better they will carry. The crates 

 are placed in a cool part of the picking shed until a load 

 is ready. If the interval between packing and shipping 

 is long, a cooling room should be provided. A shed or 

 side hill cellar may answer the purpose, especially if the 

 walls are insulated. Place the crates on the floor, one 

 layer deep, upon two by four inch scantling. Take the 

 covers off or turn them cleats down, so that the air will 

 circulate freely ; but keep off sun and wind, both of which 

 discolor berries. After they have been exposed in this 

 way through a cool night, the berries carry better than if 

 they had been shipped the day before, while still warm 

 from the vines. Irrigation water may be run on the floor 

 of the cooling room. Various types of ice-cooled rooms 

 are used to a slight extent. If possible, maintain a tem- 

 perature of forty-five to fifty degrees in the cooling room. 



