THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



Fig. 1401 



inches ; depth, 4^, 5 or 6 inches, ac- 

 cording to the size and kind of fruit to 

 to be packed. 



The top, sides and bottom of the case 

 are made of lumber ^ of an inch thick, 

 planed on the outside. The top and 

 bottom pieces are put on, leaving ^ of 

 of an inch space between them as open- 

 ings for ventilation. The side pieces 

 are y^ inch narrower than the inside 

 depth of the box That permits venti- 

 lation at all four edges of the case. 



Each side piece has four holes for 

 further ventilation. 



The end pieces are y% of an inch 

 thick, planed on both sides ; and the 

 centre piece is half an inch thick, also 

 planed on both sides. 



The cleats at both ends of the top are 

 Yi an inch thick by ^ of an inch wide. 

 They keep the cases apart when they 

 are stowed one on top of another. 



The pieces of the top of the case are 

 fastened to these cleats before they are 

 nailed to the end-boards and centre- 

 board. 



Fig. 1401 shows the case lying bottom 

 upwards, and illustrates the openings for 

 ventilation. 



PACKING. 



It is essential that the fruit should be 

 picked at the proper condition as to 



ripeness. When pears are full grown 

 they appear to ripen so as to yield a 

 better flavor when ripened ^jf"than when 

 ripened on the tree. Care should be 

 taken in the handling of all tender fruits 

 to prevent bruising. The sorting and 

 wrapping should be done in such a way 

 as to involve the least possible handling 

 of the fruit. If the fruit can be cooled 

 before it is sorted and wrapped, so much 

 the less will be the risk of injury. 



The packing of the fruit should be 

 done in such a way as to keep it firm in 

 the package. An excess of packing, in 

 so far as that prevents circulation of air, 

 is objectionable. Some kinds of pack- 

 ing are liable to become mouldy from 

 the dampness caused by evaporation 

 from the fruit. Paper and excelsior 

 packing are of that sort. 



Only such fruits should be packed as 

 are sound, of regular shape, and of fairly 

 large size. Tomatoes are the exception 

 in the matter of size. Medium and 

 small-sized tomatoes sell for about one- 

 half more per case than large-sized to- 

 matoes. 



COOLING. 



All tender or soft varieties of fruit 

 should be cooled as quickly after they 

 are picked as is practicable. For long 

 keeping, they should be cooled to a 



304 



