90 



SUCCESSFUL PKUIT CULTURE 



of those who grow this fruit for the local market to 

 pick over the trees several times to get the fruit in 

 the best condition. In picking, each specimen is 

 examined on all sides before it is picked and if the 

 green fruit has changed to a cream or light yellow, and 

 the reds are well developed, it is picked. Some depend 

 upon the feeling, pressing the projecting part on one 

 side of the suture in addition to the change of color. 



Package — The common peach basket is the poorest 

 package that could be devised for keeping the fruit, 

 as well as for harvesting and marketing. It is of such 

 form that the fruit as it becomes ripe and soft settles 



Fig. SO— Georgia Peach Basket and Crate 



together and is badly injured in the jar of transporta- 

 tion. It is very difficult to pack in wagons or cars and 

 occupies more space than any other package. The only 

 merit it possesses is its cheapness, and it has been so 

 long in use that it will be a long time before it will 

 be replaced by a more sensible package. One of the 

 best packages in use is the carrier of the Georgia peach 

 growers (Figure 50), which holds six baskets of about 

 three quarts each, or four baskets of four quarts each, 

 making practically about the quantity that is shipped in 

 the standard one-half -bush el peach basket, but its cost 

 is much greater, varying from ten to fifteen cents, 



