KEEPING AND STOKING. 177 



pears, and plums, the stem must be left on if the specimen 

 is to be first-class, but in peaches, apricots, quinces, and 

 oranges, the stem remains upon the tree or, at least, is not 

 necessary to a first-class fruit. 



Second-class fruits are generally considered to be those 

 which fall below first-class and which are good enough for 

 marketing. They are sound enough to keep well, are fairly 

 uniform in size and shape, but may have more or less sur- 

 face blemishes. A small, dry worm-hole in the blossom end 

 of an apple or pear makes the fruit second-class. 



The greatest care should be exercised in packing fruits 

 for market. Apples and pears wliich are to be shipped in 

 barrels are commonly packed as soon as they leave the 

 trees, but if the fruit is to be used for winter storage, it 

 should be allowed to sweat and shrink before barrelling. 

 These processes may be allowed to take place in piles in the 

 orchard or in bins under cover, but the fruit should gener- 

 ally be kept cool. The piles should be in the shade of 

 trees if possible, or, if under cover, in a cool shed or barn, 

 as under a north or a shaded roof. The first layer of fruit 

 on either end of the barrel should be "faced," by j^lacing 

 the fruits in concentric rings around the head with the stem 

 end next the head. After the lower end is faced, fruit of 

 uniform grade is carefully poured or placed in, the barrel 

 being lightly shaken once or twice to settle the fruit. The 

 upper end should usually be faced like the lower one, and 

 the fruit should stand an inch or less above the rim of the 

 barrel before the head is pressed in. The shipping-mark is 

 usually placed on the opposite head, or the one which stood 

 on the ground whilst the packing proceeded, and this then 

 becomes the top end. Merchants frequently turn the 

 barrel over and open the other end, however; hence this 

 should be faced as advised. Sprayed fruits shrink less and 

 keep longer than unsprayed samples. 



Perishable and dessert fruits which are shipped in bas- 

 kets or other small packages, should be carefully laid in 

 one by one, in layers. They will then ship without set- 



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