164 



HARVESTING AND MARKETING 



the plant, because the quality is greatly improved. Produce 

 can only be allowed to ripen upon the plant when a local 

 market is used. In such cases the product is gathered one 

 afternoon and sold early the next morning. By this method 

 all produce is fresh and of good quality. 



FIG. 76. Celery cabbage wrapped separately and packed in uniform 



crates. 



The condition is very different if we are shipping to a dis- 

 tant market. Ripe fruits or vegetables soon rot. The tissue 

 is soft and the produce will not stand handling. Juices from 

 one fruit often leak out and ruin an entire crate. Therefore 



FIG. 77. Cauliflower packed in a ventilated crate. 



great care must be exercised in selecting and in harvesting 

 produce for distant^ shipment. In almost every case the 

 produce must of necessity be picked when it is partially 

 matured and still green. This lack of maturity makes the 



