Grading, Packing, and Marketing. 397 



RADISHES. Radishes mature very quickly, and as soon as they are seen 

 to be swelling the beds should be examined frequently and the most forward 

 roots pulled. They should not be allowed to get too large. Now-a-days it 

 it is useless to grow big, coarse, strong-flavoured Radishes, the demand 

 being for small, crisp, delicate-flavoured roots. They are bunched for 

 market, the size of the bunch varying with the season ; in the early spring 

 months twelve or fourteen roots go to a bunch, but later in the season they 

 contain from twenty to thirty roots. Long Radishes are made up into flat 

 bunches, and olive-shaped or Turnip Radishes into round bunches. The 

 roots in each bunch should be, as far as possible, of equal size, and the 

 bunches should be carefully washed before packing. They are sent to 

 market in flats, hampers, or bushel baskets, and are sold by the dozen. 



RHUBARB. Forced Rhubarb is made up into small bundles containing 

 from two or three sticks in the early part of the season to eight or ten later. 

 The sticks should be pulled as soon as ready, when they are from 12in. to 

 15in. long, or they will become soft and spongy. The pulling of out-door 

 produce begins when the sticks are from Gin. to Sin. long, and these are 

 made up into bundles weighing about 3lbs. ; later, as the crop gets more 

 plentiful, the bundles are made to weigh 5 or 6lbs. When the leaves get 

 well developed they are cut off to within about 2in. of the stalks, which are 

 then laid with the heads reversed alternately, so as to make a neat and 

 even bundle, secured by two ties, one near each end. 



SALSIFY and SCORZONERA. These roots are lifted in November, care 

 being taken not to injure them. They may be marketed at once or stored 

 and marketed in small quantities through the winter. The roots are graded 

 into even sizes and tied up in bundles of about a dozen. They are packed 

 in flats, with a little soft hay at top and bottom to prevent damage. 



SAVOY CABBAGES. The cutting of Savoys usually begins in October 



' and continues to February or March, the largest and firmest heads being 



selected at each cutting until the field is cleared. They are sent to market 



in large wicker crates holding a tally, or five dozen heads, loose in railway 



trucks, or by road packed on wagons. 



SEAKALE. Seakale is in season from November to the following spring. 

 The heads are cut when about 6in. long, with a small piece of root attached. 

 None should be sent -to market which has become coloured by exposure to 

 light, as then the flavour is very strong and the quality inferior. After 

 cutting, the heads should be washed. In packing, first wrap the heads in 

 blue tissue paper, making a flattish bundle and leaving an inch or two of 

 the upper part displayed ; then lay the bundle flat across a shallow punnet, 

 and secure it with raffia. The weight of a punnet varies from lib. to 3lbs. 

 according to the season, but some growers maintain a regular weight of 

 2lbs. per punnet throughout. The punnets are packed in flats, in which 

 they must be very carefully secured to prevent damage in transit, as the 

 stalks are easily broken and spoiled. 



