XIII 



MARKETING THE CROP 



The peach is one of the most difficult of the tree 

 fruits to market properly. It is perishable and very 

 delicate. The crop must be handled rapidly and at 

 the same time very carefully. For this marketing 

 large quantities of labor are required. These neces- 

 sary laborers must be employed for a short time 

 only, so there is not much opportunity to organize 

 and train them for the difficult work they have to 

 perform. The shortness of the harvest season and 

 the fact that peach harvest cannot be relied upon 

 even every year also increase the difficulty. 



PICKING 



It requires considerable experience to judge ac- 

 curately the time 

 when a peach is ready 

 to pick. The maturity 

 will depend a good 

 deal on the market 

 for which the fruit is 

 destined. If to be 

 used at home it will 

 be allowed to ripen on 

 the tree, and of 

 course, under these 

 circumstances it will 

 attain a finish and a 

 quality which it can- 

 not have under any 

 other conditions. The 



HALF-BARREL PICKING BASKET 



160 



