Grading, Packing, and Marketing. 399 



TOMATOES. Gathering begins from the middle of July to the middle 

 of August, according to the method of culture and the warmth of the season, 

 and in a mild autumn generally continues until about the middle of October. 

 The fruit is always of better quality when allowed to remain on the plants 

 until ready for packing, but where blackbirds are troublesome the earliest 

 should be gathered as soon as they show a slight change of colour and 

 finished under cover (read carefully pages 350-351). The fruit should be 

 gathered with the calyx and stalk attached, the fresh green calyx adding 

 materially to its attractiveness. Three grades should be made "bests," 

 consisting of smooth round fruit, perfect in quality and of even size ; 

 "seconds," which are those irregular in size and shape but still of good 

 quality ; and " thirds," which embraces all the rough, ugly, and small fruit. 

 None that is cracked or bruised should be included, and any which is 

 diseased should be at once burned. The two better grades are generally 

 packed in handle baskets or pecks, each holding 12lbs., and the thirds are 

 sent in pecks or half-bushels. During the past few years small wooden 

 boxes holding 12lbs., provided by the grower and non-returnable, have been 

 largely used for the best quality, and these have much to recommend them, 

 as they are cheap, the salesman handles them for a smaller commission, 

 they sell readily, and by being the grower's own property he is not restricted 

 in choice of markets during a period of glut. In packing, a little wood wool 

 is placed over the bottom of the basket or box, then the sides and bottom 

 are lined with tissue paper pink for "bests," blue for "seconds," of which 

 sufficient must overhang the edge to cover over the top when full. The 

 best fruit is arranged in layers with the stalks downward ; the second and 

 third grades do not receive so much care, the fruit being left just as it falls 

 into the receptacle, but the top layer of seconds is usually arranged with 

 the face upwards. 



TURNIPS. Early Turnips, whether grown in frames or in the open, are 

 make up into bunches containing about twelve roots, after which they are 

 well washed and packed in pads, hampers, or bushel baskets ; they are sold 

 by the dozen bunches. Later they have the tops and tap root removed, 

 and after being washed are consigned to market in bushel baskets or bags, 

 being sold by the cwt. or ton. TURNIP TOPS are cut as soon as they begin 

 to grow freely in spring, whilst they are still young and tender, and are 

 usually consigned in salesmen's bags, but sometimes in crates or hampers. 



VEGETABLE MARROWS. Marrows started early should begin to bear 

 in the first or second week of July. The fruit should be cut before it has 

 reached full size, as it is then of better flavour and the plants continue to bear 

 longer. In gathering they should be handled carefully, so that the tender 

 surface will not get bruised and disfigured. For a few weeks the earliest 

 Marrows are packed in flats, becked in soft hay, and are sold by the dozen, 

 when they generally realise good prices. As they get more plentiful they 

 are consigned in large wicker crates, and in the London markets are usually 

 sold by the tally of five dozen. Large growers often consign them loose in 

 carts or wagons or in railway trucks. 



