3"4 THE' CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST, 



gravelly soil, and so each variety of fruit should be planted in the soil 

 and situation best adapted to the perfect development of that par- 

 ticular fruit. Care must also be taken to keep the ti^es in a healthy 

 and vigorous condition by proper cultivation and pruning, and when 

 they bear fruit must not be allowed to carry more than they can 

 bring to perfection. JSTothing is more injurious to the appearance and 

 quality of the fruit than over-loading. Thorough thinning out of the 

 crop soon after the fruit is fairiy set is essential to the production of 

 fruit of first quality. 



And after the fruit is grown it must be picked with care and care- 

 fully sorted, and put up in neat and attractive packages, and honestly 

 packed, with no inferior specimens hidden away from sight, but uni- 

 formly good throughout. There is always a market for such fruit, both 

 at home and abroad, and yet there is much in knowing the tastes and 

 demands of different markets, and in putting on to each market those- 

 varieties, and put up in the way that sells best in that particular 

 market. Not only does the planting and growing and packing need 

 to be systematized, but the marketing. If a number of growers would 

 combine together and send their agent to the great markets of Europe 

 and ascertain the varieties that sell best in the several markets, and in 

 what style of package they are most acceptable, and then pack and 

 ship their fruit accordingly, they would find it greatly to- their advan- 

 tage. In discussing the subject of fruit packages, it was very generally 

 admitted that the law of the State of New York regulating the size of 

 the apple barrel, and fixing it at one hundred quarts, had operated 

 prejudiciously to the interests of the fruit growers of that State, inas- 

 much as other States and Canada had not adopted the same standard, 

 and their apple barrel being larger, those from the State of New York 

 could not be sold while the larger barrels were to be had, except at a 

 diffei:ence in price greater than the difference in capacity would call 

 for. Much stress was laid upon having the packages present a neat 

 and tidy appearance, especially those in which grapes and small fruits 

 were marketed. Objection was made to the packing of choice peaches 

 in crates, so much of the fruit was injured by the sharp edges of the 

 slats. Some spoke favorably of marketing peaches in baskets made 

 with wide splints and having a board cover. Grapes were best marketed 

 in straw-board boxes holding either two or three pounds of grapes, 

 and these packed securely in crates. The two-pound boxes cost twenty- 



