31 6 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



PACKING AND SHIPPING FRUIT. 



RAPES should be picked carefully, and then allowed to 

 stand three or four days to wilt before shipping. When 

 packing, handle the bunches by the stem, and do not 

 touch the grapes themselves, as that injures the bloom, 

 . which every care should be taken to preserve. All green, 

 imperfect, or bruised fruit should be removed with the 

 sharp pointed grape scissors. Lay the clusters in so as to 

 fill the baskets just level ; then weigh and mark the weight on the handle of 

 each basket. A uniform weight should be maintained for similar sized baskets. 

 The two best kinds of baskets for shipping grapes are the ten pound and the 

 twenty pound, or sixteen quart. Use the large size for the general crop and 

 common variety, the small for choice and early varieties, or for local market. 

 Some basket factories turn out still smaller sizes, with wire handles, holding 

 from two to five pounds ; these will be found excellent for those selling on an 

 open market, as they are no great weight for purchasers to carry, and look 

 attractive when filled with choice grapes. Never ship unripe grapes ; it is, 

 alas ! a far too common practice ; but nothing injures the grape market so much 

 and so permanently. 



Fears. — In picking, avoid bruises, and do not separate from the stem, 

 which is considered an ornamental feature. Do not let them hang too long 

 upon the tree. All early kinds will sell much better if picked after they have 

 attained their full size, and yet before they are ripe, and allowed to ripen gradu- 

 ally in a cool place. If intended to be placed in an artificial cooler, they should 

 be picked as soon as they will readily come off the tree. Cull out small and 

 imperfect fruit at once, pack in barrels and sell as such ; if sold early they will 

 generally fetch enough to give a profit, but usually there is little demand for 

 such after September. The choicest specimens should be shipped in twelve 

 quart baskets, or in bushel boxes ; the rest of the crop, especially if pears be 

 plentiful, is best marketed in barrels or half-barrels. 



Apples. — The packing and shipping of apples, more especially if intended 

 for the Old Country, demands a great deal of care and trouble, and involves 

 some considerable amount of risk. Those who do not wish to take the proper 

 amount of care, etc., had better sell at home for a certain fixed price. Summer 

 apples are usually sold at home in the local markets ; the choicest specimens 

 can be sent in twelve quart baskets, the rest in barrels and half-barrels. The 

 same applies to most of the early fall varieties, which are usually too soft to 

 stand the voyage across the ocean. The late fall varieties should be shipped 

 early, then follow with early winter, then medium, and then late keeping, finish- 

 ing up with the longest keepers in the spring. As a rule, winter apples are" 

 allowed to hang too long upon the trees. About the 20th of September is quite 



