PACKING AND MARKETING FRUITS 57 



every grower for himself, and can be determined in 

 a given case only by test. If there is an accessible 

 market where an extra price can be secured for 

 a fancy product, then grading- the fruit will usually 

 pay. If there is not, then grading is almost certainly 

 a waste of effort. It is a noteworthy fact, however, 

 that many of the best growers find that it pays 

 them well to grade their strawberries, putting the 

 best ones by themselves and facing up the baskets 

 in attractive fashion. 



The Strawberry Package 



Strawberries are nearly always sold in quart 

 boxes, baskets or cups. These are made of wood 

 veneer or of paper. The waxed paper baskets are 

 very attractive for a local trade, but do not ship so 

 well as strong wooden boxes. These quart boxes are 

 made in four sizes, viz.: (1) "full quarts," (2) "stand- 

 ard quarts," (3) "short quarts," and (4) "skin 

 quarts." It is rather a remarkable commentary on 

 the business that these terms, "short quarts" and 

 "skin quarts," should be regularly used in the trade. 

 The moral aspect of this question has often been dis- 

 cussed, but we believe it has never been fully ascer- 

 tained whether the fruit-grower, the buyer or the 

 consumer will have to suffer for it In the hereafter. 

 Of the four sizes named the "standard quarts" are 

 in commonest use, though some markets and some 

 growers prefer the "short quarts." 



Pint boxes are sometimes used for very fancy 

 fruit or for long shipments. Fruit naturally carries 

 better the smaller the package. But the pint pack- 

 age for strawberries is a very small item in the trade 

 as a whole. 



The quart boxes are always shipped to market 

 in crates. Standard crates hold either 24, 32, 48 or 



