30 Shipping Fruit-Packages. 



opened. The space should be entirely filled, or rather more ; so that con- 

 siderable pressure has to be exerted in nailing on the boards. 



The exact state of maturity to which the several fruits should have 

 attained will depend upon the time and distance they have to be transported: 

 and this can only be ascertained by trial with each. No specimens should 

 be within twenty-four hours of their full maturity, or they will be bruised and 

 seriously damaged before reaching the consumer ; for the process of ripen- 

 ing is ver)' much accelerated in the heated cars. On the other hand, or- 

 chardists should avoid the folly of gathering their fruits prematurely. 

 Peaches and plums should have become pretty well colored ; and the green 

 should have changed to a white or yellow on the shaded portions of the 

 peach. Pears may be quite green when plucked ; but they should be fully 

 grown, else they will become wilted instead of ripening. The gathering 

 of this fruit requires more knowledge and skill than almost any other, so 

 as to pluck the specimens when they are just in the right condition. This, 

 however, may be acquired by proper observation with a little practice. 



The shipping of small fruits is a matter of no small importance ; and the 

 wide, shallow drawers, holding half a bushel and even a bushel each, can 

 no longer be recommended. Small baskets and boxes are much to be 

 preferred ; and it would be a great desideratum to have these furnished at 

 such a rate, that they need not be returned, but would allow of their being 

 sold with the fruit. 



The American baskets, made of splints of wood, have been much in 

 vogue. These are packed in crates, containing three courses of baskets, 

 separated by a thin board. In placing strawberries in these baskets, it is 

 well to arrange the upper row so that the stems shall all be down, and the 

 points up, as they thus present a finer appearance. All fruit should be 

 assorted into first and second quality; and, in packing for a distant market, 

 all those which are over-ripe should be rejected. There is another box, 

 made of thin veneers, generally of elm-wood, with a bottom sprung in to 

 its place half an inch above the lower edge of the sides, and perforated 

 with holes for ventilation. 



D. R. Dunlap of Zanesville, O., has exhibited a system of boxes which 

 is very promising : they are very neatly made, and come in crates made 

 of light stuff that will be sufficiently strong to keep the fruit from damage. 



