50 



from the suburbs or country to the city, where they pass through 

 .the hands of a commission merchant, by whom they are " jobbed 

 -out," and many of them sent back over the railroads to the 

 country again, and sold, in some instances to the next neigh- 

 fbor of the man who grew them. This is called doing business. 



PACKING FOR MARKET. 



'It was formerly the fashion to remove the calyx from straw- 

 berries when packing for market, but this practice has been 

 abandoned for quite a number of years. The labor, when 

 large quantities were grown, made it well-nigh impossible to put 

 up berries in this way, and the fruit did not ship as safely or 

 keep as well as when packed with the calyx remaining attached. 



There is another practice, too common with careless growers, 

 that must never be tolerated, if best prices are desired that of 

 mixing several varieties in the same basket and crate. There 

 is such a difference in form and color of the kinds usually grown, 

 to say nothing about the great difference in quality, that no 

 sagacious dealer ever thinks of placing upon the market a mixed 

 lot of berries. The difference in price between unmixed fruit 

 nicely packed, and a mixed lot badly assorted and otherwise 

 carelessly put up, will often amount to one half the net receipts. 

 This is especially true at the height of the berry season, when 

 the market is crowded, and the purchaser can make his selection 

 almost at his own price. The best fruit, carefully handled, and 

 packed in clean baskets, displayed upon the fruit-stand in an 

 attractive manner, will never spoil for want of a purchaser, 

 -while the consignment of the careless shipper will be dumped 

 into the dock. There is the same reason why small fruits 

 should not be mixed as might be urged against a like practice 

 with the large fruits, such as the apple and pear. 



Only a few years since it was the custom to pack berries of 

 all kinds in quart or pint boxes with covers, but now baskets 

 are generally used. The change is attributable to several causes. 

 The first cost of boxes is five times as great as that of baskets. 

 As all air was excluded the fruit did not keep as well as in bas- 

 kets, the slats of which are more or less open. The sides of 

 boxes being perpendicular, gave the fruit a chance to settle, 

 and become crushed by its own weight, while the baskets are 



