TOMATOES. 145 



(p*H 



the different tables, or it can be made to run into dif- 

 ferent boxes, which when full may be put in place for 

 wrappers. The wrapper's bench should not be higher 

 than the boxes that receive the fruit from the sorters. 

 After the fruit has been packed it should be continued 

 to be carried downward, but in no case should there 

 be any lifted upward. The packed fruit may then 

 be delivered to the other side of the packing house and 

 carted to the station. 



SORTING. 



The successful tomato growers usually sort their 

 tomatoes in various grades, depending very largely 

 upon the tastes of the grower and the market for which 

 they are prepared. There are two general grades that 

 are recognized by all tomato growers, and they are 

 usually observed even by persons who make no pre- 

 tence of grading their tomatoes ; these are usually 

 spoken of as "Ripes" and " Greens. " These two 

 grades give the grower a chance to distribute the fruit 

 to different markets and have them all arrive there in 

 suitable condition. More advanced tomato growers 

 make, besides these, other divisions, as "large ripes,' 7 

 "small ripes," large greens, " and "small greens.' 7 

 While it seems like a great deal of work to separate 

 the fruit into grades, it is found to be very profitable. 

 The large, well formed tomatoes are then wrapped in 

 different kinds of paper to suit the grower and packed 

 in carriers, while the small ones are simply packed in 

 crates. There are two advantages in packing the lar^e 

 tomatoes in carriers; first, they sell better; second, 

 it takes fewer tomatoes to fill a crate, while the selling 

 price remains the same. In sorting the fruit in vari- 

 ous sizes or grades, one will be better able to meet the 

 desires of different markets and the different desires of 

 the same market. 



