84 THE BOOK OF THE GRAPE 



Baskets containing twelve pounds of grapes for exhi- 

 bition are packed in the manner described above, white 

 tissue paper being used for black grapes and pink 

 tissue for white grapes. Classes for baskets of black 

 and white grapes respectively are provided by horticul- 

 tural societies simply to encourage good packing, the 

 condition of transit being that the baskets must be 

 despatched by rail and delivered by the railway 

 companies' servants. 



Grapes for exhibition are tied on specially made single 

 boards covered with white and pink paper, according to 

 the number of black and white grapes to be shown, 

 boxes being specially made for the boards, to take 

 six or eight bunches on either side, one bunch on 

 each board. A strip of wood (B) about one inch 

 deep, and of the same width, is nailed lengthwise 

 along the middle of the bottom of the box to keep 

 the two sets of boards in position when placed 

 therein, the bunches resting on a pad of 

 cotton wool. The top of the boards is flush 

 with the ends and sides of the box, and 

 represents an angle of from thirty degrees 

 to forty degrees according to the depth 

 and width of the box. Each box should 

 be provided with a trunk lock and with 

 handles at each end. When the bunches are secured to the 

 top of the boards (A) with a piece of string and placed 

 in the box, and the lid shut down, they cannot possibly 

 move as long as the boxes are kept level. In this way 

 I have frequently taken as many as fifty bunches of 

 grapes from Longford Castle, Salisbury, to the Crystal 

 Palace Fruit Show and back without having the bloom 

 rubbed in the least degree a distance of some two 

 hundred miles. The foot (E) shown in the base of the 

 grape boards is to allow room for the points of the in- 

 dividual bunches, while the space between the two 



