394 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



there may be an occasional consignment of "specials." In packing, each 

 is first wrapped in tissue paper, then bedded in and surrounded by wood 

 wool. Boxes or flats are generally used in which to send them, a flat 

 holding from two to five, according to the grade. 



MINT. Mint is marketed in bunches varying in size with the season ; a 

 bunch of forced Mint during winter usually contains from twenty to thirty 

 shoots, but as the season advances the size is increased until it is as large 

 as can be comfortably held in one hand. Early in the season when supplies 

 are small they are packed in any convenient receptacle, but later, flats, 

 pads, and hampers are used. 



MUSHROOMS. When Mushroom beds begin to bear, gathering should 

 be done two or three times a week, and all should be taken, both big and 

 little. Allowing the Mushrooms to get too fully open before gathering tends 

 to exhaust the bed and shorten the crop. They should not be broken or cut 

 off, but should be pulled out of the bed with a slight twist, so as to bring 

 away the base cleanly. Any broken parts should be at once cut out with a 

 knife and the holes filled up with fresh soil. Great care must be taken in 

 handling the Mushrooms as the least touch on the gills will cause them to 

 become discoloured. In gathering, the base of the stem should either be 

 placed carefully downward in the basket or it should be cut off at once, 

 otherwise dirt will fall into the gills. They should be graded as gathering 

 proceeds into three separate baskets one for the largest fully-open ones, 

 known as "broilers," a second for the smaller half -open and small round 

 undeveloped ones, known as "cups" and "buttons," and the third for the 

 rough and broken ones. Before packing, any soil adhering must be cleaned 

 off with a piece of flannel. They are packed, stalks downwards, in handle 

 baskets or pecks, lined and covered with blue tissue paper, then tied down 

 and labelled, with the grade and weight marked plainly on each. 



MUSTARD and CRESS. As soon as the seed leaves are fully developed, 

 Mustard and Cress is cut, a little above the roots, with a broad sharp 

 knife. The cut should be made boldly, taking a swathe about Sin. wide, 

 then the Mustard or the Cress should be taken up with both hands and 

 stood upright in punnets, the tops being kept as level as possible. Enough 

 should be taken to well fill the punnet at the first attempt ; this may be rather 

 difficult to the inexperienced but with a little practice it becomes easy, and 

 makes a much quicker and neater job than when the punnet is filled with 

 several small lots. Special punnets are made for this work, known by the 

 makers as punnets for " Hot and Cold," and this is also the term generally 

 used for Mustard and Cress by salesmen in the market. The full punnets 

 are packed in boxes which take several layers, or in flats, and if a sheet of 

 paper is put between each layer they may stand one on top of another with- 

 out injury, but they must be packed tightly or they may be damaged on rail. 



ONIONS. Autumn-sown Onions are disposed of as opportunity occurs, 

 from the time they are harvested to the end of the summer, as they do not 

 keep well. Spring-sown Onions are put on the market from harvesting 



