GATHERING. PACKING, AND DISTRIBUTING. 81 



from the grower, and growers would reap the benefit in 

 securing the best prices. 



Water. There being only a very limited number of 

 growers so situated as to have an opportunity of using 

 this mode of conveyance, it may be dismissed with only 

 a few words. Even where it exists, it is seldom available 

 for soft and perishable fruits. Some of the Kent growers 

 living contiguous to the river have tried it ; and although 

 it is less costly than either road or rail, it was found to 

 be too slow, and occasionally caused considerable loss by 

 arriving too late for intended markets. 



Rail. Hence the great bulk of fruit sent to market at 

 a distance of more than a few miles from the place of 

 production is conveyed by rail. Much fruit is sent in 

 this way long distances, from south to north and north 

 to south, according to times and seasons ; and it is a pain- 

 ful fact that much fruit is deteriorated in quality and 

 value through being crowded in transit in unsuitable 

 railway trucks, which have no proper ventilation. The 

 weather being frequently hot at the time, fermentation 

 rapidly sets in, and the fruit is quickly affected. 



This not only concerns the grower, in the price realized 

 for the fruit, but the consumers receive it in a deteriorated 

 and unwholesome condition. 



I had the opportunity to note the marked difference in 

 the keeping of fruit in different temperatures, when assist- 

 ing to carry out some experiments on behalf of the Royal 

 Horticultural Society, as to the time that fruit could be 

 preserved fresh in cold storage. We found that such 

 perishable fruits as strawberries and cherries could be pre- 

 served fresh and sound for several weeks in a uniformly 

 low temperature, the nearer to freezing point, without 

 being quite so, the better. Therefore, if railway companies 



