PACKING AND MARKETING FRUITS 53 



ries are sold in essentially the same way on the con- 

 tinent of Europe. Whenever during the cherry sea- 

 son a train stops at almost any way station in France, 

 Switzerland or southern- Germany, girls and women 

 come crowding around with little baskets or paper 

 cones filled with ripe sweet cherries. These are sold 

 to the passengers on the train at prices usually about 

 equal to 15 or 20 cents a pound. The sweet cherries 

 are sold in all the city markets of Germany, France 

 and Switzerland at retail in the same way. In the 

 handling of no other fruit ar-a the markets of con- 

 tinental Europe and of North America so much alike 

 as in the selling of sweet cherries. 



The California cherries, which are the commonest 

 of the sw^eet cherries in our American markets, now 

 usually come in small shallow wooden boxes holding 

 three or four pounds. The cherries are nicely sorted 

 and are placed in these boxes in tiers and rows in 

 exact geometrical order. This gives them a very 

 show r y appearance, especially when varieties of divers 

 colors are worked together into some sort of pattern. 



Sweet cherries from the eastern states are usually 

 sent to market in quart strawberry boxes. While 

 this is a good way, it is not so good as the California 

 method, and it is a question whether even the eastern 

 growers of sweet cherries would not find the more 

 expensive packages and the more elaborate methods 

 of packing somewhat more profitable. 



Sour cherries, like Morello, Richmond and Mont- 

 morency, are more commonly grown in the eastern 

 states, the central states and in Canada. Still the 

 market for this luscious fruit is not by any means 

 half supplied. The present practice is to send these 

 sour cherries to market in quart strawberry boxes 

 crated, just as strawberries are shipped. While the 

 present conditions of under-supply prevail this 

 method is very good. It may be worth considering, 



