STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. I09 



box, let it alone. Berries picked and left waiting in the sun 

 are sure to show the effects in the market. To me, small crates 

 are preferable to large ones. I am not in love with any of the 

 crates that are in use here. I would never have anything rest, or 

 press on top of a box of berries of any kind, — especially the 

 strawberry. New boxes should be used and these should hold 

 one quart. 



Most of our berries after they come to the market are rough- 

 ly handled, and most shamefully exhibited. Before the wide 

 open doors of commission houses, on tables and in crates out- 

 side our stores, are displayed for sale berries and fruits of all 

 kinds, subjected not only to the dust and dirt of city streets 

 but to the feet of the fly. 



We bring to our market good berries, poor berries and good- 

 for-nothing berries picked into the same box and packed in the 

 same crate. Different sized boxes are in the market most of 

 the time. Three-fourths of these boxes of berries are never 

 found filled to the top when on sale in the store. Right here 

 is where we, as growers of the berry, fail to do our part. Most 

 of us do not fill our boxes, and none of us grade our berries. 

 We as growers, having gathered our crops with all possible 

 care, must grade them before going to market. Proper grading 

 of crops will bring better returns both in cash and self-satis- 

 faction. The day of judgment will surely come and he who 

 does not grade his crop in an honest manner will wake up some 

 day to find himself down the line. 



Now, in conclusion, what do we need — what ought we to do 

 to bring about better and more systematic market conditions 

 everywhere? Active and honest commission houses are good 

 aids for this purpose. Such houses, however, often become in- 

 different and careless, forgetting the real thing, and our prod- 

 ucts are left to the mercy of time, and finally dropped in a bunch 

 to pedlers. Therefore, to my mind, better than all commission 

 houses, better than the ability of any one man to sell his own 

 crop, would be a genuine, up-to-date Fruit Grozvers' Associa- 

 tion, — some co-operative organization to the headquarters of 

 which we may take our berries, or fruit, and have them cared 

 for and disposed of for us in a profitable and honest manner. 



Many times our market price is much reduced by some fel- 

 low from the country, ten miles or more out. He comes here 



