CUSTOMERS' LIKES AND DISLIKES 213 



packing shed, and arrange them in their order as 

 they are required by each customer. So inter- 

 ested do the packers become in the ladies who buy 

 weekly hampers of vegetables that I often over- 

 hear the remark, " You must not give Mrs. So-and- 



So beetroot, she can't bear it," or " Mrs. B 



will want her favourite lettuces, they have a large 

 party in the house," which would lead the casual 

 listener to think that both these ladies were per- 

 sonal friends. This secret knowledge of the pre- 

 ferences of people whom they have never spoken 

 to is to be found in the pages of a small book, 

 which has, inscribed upon it in large letters, " Cus- 

 tomers' Likes and Dislikes," and whenever a 

 letter comes, in which these particulars are sent, 

 the details are copied into this invaluable alpha- 

 betical record. 



The packing shed is, indeed, a scene of busy 

 work during the morning, whilst three or four 

 students who have been temporarily attached to 

 this department for some months' training are 

 picking, sorting, grading, wrapping vegetables in 

 gay-coloured tissue paper, preparing fruit punnets, 

 and finally skilfully laying layers of vegetables, 

 according to their weight and size, in the light 

 " basses " that we use for the purpose. A long 

 needle with string sews this bag so firmly together 

 that the contents cannot be shaken, however 

 much rough handling it may be subjected to dur- 

 ing the journey by rail. 



When all parcels have been labelled, addressed, 

 and entered in the books by the officer in charge, 

 who stands writing at a desk or a raised wooden 



