256 SMALL FRUIT CTJLTURIST. 



weeks, and a very large extra supply of baskets will be 

 necessary to prevent a corresponding loss. 



Ten thousand baskets, with a corresponding number of 

 crates, should be provided, if a thousand baskets are to be 

 picked per day. 



To the inexperienced in these matters, this may seem 

 to be an unnecessary outlay, but fruit growers in the East- 

 ern States, at least, have learned that a little, or consider- 

 able, extra capital invested in baskets will quite often 

 insure them against great losses. 



Any one who has ever looked through the New York 

 markets, soon after the close of the Strawberry season, 

 must have noticed thousands of baskets and crates lying 

 around loose, or being piled up in the streets, where the 

 boys make bonfires of them at night, and thus the prop- 

 erty of the fruit grower is often destroyed through the 

 willful neglect of those to whom the fruit was consigned. 



Many remedies have been tried to prevent this waste, 

 but none have been entirely successful, unless it be that 

 of sending very cheap baskets and crates, which it is not 

 expected will be returned. Many fruit growers are adopt- 

 ing this give away system, and under some circumstances 

 it is probably the best, but under others it is doubtful if 

 it is the most profitable in the end. 



An attractive exterior is a good passport, even in the 

 fruit line, and I know of many instances where fruit put 

 up in handsome baskets, and enclosed in extra finished 

 crates, has sold for almost double the price of that sent 

 to market in an inferior style of crate and basket. 



I will give one instance which came under my notice 

 the past season : A young man, formerly in my employ, 

 commenced sending Blackberries to the New York mar- 

 ket the past season, (1866,) for the first time, and wishing 

 to have his fruit make a good appearance, he purchased 

 quart baskets of as handsome style as he could find. 

 They cost him $30.00 per 1,000. He made his own crates, 



