CHAP. XII VILLA GARDENING 381 



it may be planted out at the foot of a south wall. The fruit in 

 appearance (except in colour) resetubles its near relative, the winter 

 Cherry. The style of growth, however, is different, as the latter 

 is a dwarf plant, renewing itself from its base annually. The fruit 

 of the winter Cherry is of a scarlet colour, but the Cape Gooseberry 

 is a pale yellow. Cuttings produce the loest jjlants, but it may be 

 raised from seeds provided they are new and good. The fruits 

 above-named are all of easy culture, and will be exceedingly useful 

 wherever a good dessert is required. 



Packing Fruit — Grapes. — The chief requisite in packing ripe, 

 and, in fact, all kinds of fruit, is stillness — immobility. Grapes 

 must not be shaken. If they are much rubbed it is a sm-e sign 

 that they have not been packed tight enough. I prefer boxes to 

 pack Grapes in. Market-growers sometimes use baskets, but in 

 supplying the needs of a private family, it may be hundreds of 

 miles away, boxes are best. They should be made in different 

 sizes, so as just to hold the ciuantity we wish to send— one, two, 

 or more dishes — though it is not wtII to send more than 10 or 12 

 pounds in one box. The depth of the boxes should be propor- 

 tioned to the size of the bunches of Grapes ; a box 6 to 8 inches 

 deep will have depth enough. The box should have a sheet of 

 cotton wadding placed in the bottom, and on this should be laid a 

 sheet of thin cap paper. It should then be taken into the vinery, 

 and one end tilted up a little by placing a 60-sized pot or a block 

 of wood under. Place the Grapes in the box at the lowest end 

 first; they will then fall naturally into the right position, and 

 when the box is fidl they will travel any distance without injury. 

 The stalks of the bunches will stand straight up, and the pressure 

 brought to bear by the lid will tend still further to steady them. 

 Small boxes as well as large ones can be packed in this way. The 

 box should be labelled — " Grapes, with care ; keep this side up." 

 If Grapes are sent on any particidar line frequently, a small 

 gratuity to the guard of the , train will not be thrown away. 

 Special care in anything has to be paid for or acknowledged in 

 some way. 



Peaches are best wrapped in thin paper, each fruit separately, 

 and then wrapped in wadding and packed tightly in sweet clean 

 Moss, a stock of which shoiUd be gathered and stowed away in a 

 dry place on purpose for packing. Before using the Moss place it 

 on a clean mat on the floor and beat it well with a stick. This 

 will remove all dirt and restore its elasticity. Boxes for Peaches 

 and Xectarines should be about 8 inches deep to hold two layers 

 of fruit. Place a layer of the prepared Moss in the bottom of the 

 box first, and then a layer of Peaches, filling in the interstices be- 



