PEACH AND THE PEAR. I35 



men by the package. The commission men guarantee to 

 return the baskets, report sales daily, and make returns 

 weekly, charging about ten per cent, on the gross amount 

 of sales. There is some fruit sold to local canners, evapo- 

 raters and traders, and by all these means combined is 

 the crop disposed of. The best and favorite package is 

 the standard | bushel-basket, without top or cover ; 

 some of these are covered with muslin for fancy fruit, 

 and some have wooden tops, which are rather a new 

 idea, and enable the baskets to be packed without danger 

 to their contents, and very closely. 



Another package is the crate, of wood, | bushel, 

 with two compartments of equal size. These packages 

 are used, principally, for the Baltimore market, where 

 they are popular for some varieties of peaches. There 

 are also small fancy baskets of one gallon, and six quarts, 

 each ; these are generally sent packed in a thirty-two 

 quart berry-crate, and this holds eight gallon-baskets, 

 and six six-quart baskets ; these are only used for extra 

 early or fancy fruit. 



