The Canadian Horticulturist. 349 



was brought about a dozen years ago by a packing house on the St. John 

 river, Fla. As they were constantly buying, they were able to grade and wrap 

 the fruit. This soon became an established business throughout the States. 

 Since orange shipping from Florida to Savannah first took place, the grading of 

 the orange has taught shippers all over the country a lesson, until California 

 ships its fine plums, apricots, peaches, pears and other fruits, so that now it is 

 almost as common on the stands of fruit vendors as our own. — W. B. R. John- 

 son before Pa. Hort. Society, Jan. 1894. 



TO ASSORT POTATOES RAPIDLY. 



Sorting potatoes by hand is very tedious. With the illustration given 

 below the smaller potatoes are easily and quickly separated from the larger 



ones suitable for market. It is a very simple and 

 cheap apparatus that can be made by anyone. It 

 consists of a slatted trough 5 or 6 feet long, pro- 

 vided with legs or standards of proper length to 

 keep it so inclined that when potatoes are shoveled 

 upon it they will roll down. The slats may be of 

 inch stuff attached to the two bottom cleats, their 

 centres i Y-z in. apart, a little closer at the top and 

 a trifle further separated at the bottom, so that the 

 potatoes may not become wedged in the spaces. 

 A suitable width for the sorter is 20 in., with side- 

 boards 8 in. high. When unloading potatoes from 

 * '*'• *^'*^- the waggon, place the sorter at the side or rear and 



shovel them directly upon it. Those of suitable size will run into the basket, 

 while the smaller ones, with the earth, little stones, etc., will fall upon the ground 

 or into any receptacle placed to receive them. — Farm and Home. 



The growing of garden plants for sale is often as profitable work as that 

 of producing the vegetables themselves for market. A great many farmers and 

 gardeners, in every community, would rather buy them than go to the trouble 

 of preparing hot-beds for the small amounts that they require. A person 

 intending to engage in this work should begin their preparations in the autumn, 

 and that is why we mention it now. Hot-beds for all kinds of garden plants 

 should be made ready in the fall, the soil put under cover so it will not freeze* 

 and arrangements made to save the manure that will be needed, in such shape 

 that it will not heat before being put to use. — Rural Canadian. 



