PICKING, PACKING AND MARKETING 



SUMMARY 



Half of the failures to make fruit-growing profitable come 

 from careless and improper picking, grading, packing and selling. 



Pick the fruit at the right time. Handle it as you would 

 eggs, rush it into cool storage, carefully grade it into three or 

 four classes, and pack it so it will reach the consumer in as good 

 shape as it grew. 



With much fruit to handle, grading machines are time- and 

 money-savers. 



Grading and packing are almost a science. They require 

 study and skill, and their importance must be realized more than 

 in the past. 



Always put your name and address on your packages of 

 fruit. Name your orchard, and get an attractive design for 

 package labels if possible. 



You can use nearly all culls by drying or processing. Can- 

 ning, preserving, making syrups, juices, cider, vinegar, etc., are 

 very profitable methods of preventing waste. 



In selling, get acquainted with good commission men, or 

 with retail customers, and stick to them, or invite the buyers 

 to your orchard and sell for cash, you to pick and pack the 

 fruit. 



If possible, organize a fruit-grower's association. Such an 

 organization will surely be able to get 50 per cent more for 

 all fruit produced than individual growers can. It is the solu- 

 tion of a great many problems that puzzle eastern growers. 

 Through it buying and selling are done from a commanding 

 position, rather than from a begging one. An association can 

 dictate terms to buyers, instead of buyers making the offers. 



