IN CHERRY AND BERRY TIME. 101 



Nelson. In 1908 a consignment of Kootenay straw- 

 berries, after being properly cooled, were shipped a 

 distance of no less than 3,000 miles, and arrived in 

 good condition. 



Twenty-four berry punnets are packed into a crate, 

 in the same manner as raspberries and currants. 

 These crates sell for prices ranging, under ordinary 

 circumstances, from $2 (8s.) up to $3.50 (14s.) whole- 

 sale. The total cost of production and selling has 

 been estimated at $1.25 (5s.) per crate, so that, the 

 heavy yield being borne in mind, there is a sufficient 

 profit. The average gross yield per acre is put 

 generally at $500 (£100), and several growers have 

 asserted that their strawberry crop has produced 

 double that amount. The division between cost of 

 production and net profit would be 40 per cent, and 

 60 per cent, respectively. It is important to remember 

 that this crop does not cover the whole of the ground; 

 the strawberry plants occupy the ground between the 

 young fruit trees during the four or five years that 

 these are growing up to the bearing stage. 



Strawberries are the fruit that the Kootenay fruit 

 growers rely upon principally to earn them an income 

 during the early years of their orchard. The fruit, 

 when well marketed, does indeed bring in a satis- 

 factory return. But it can only be marketed on 

 the co-operative system ; and unless a district is 

 thoroughly well organised and efficiently managed, 

 there is apt to be loss and consequently disappoint- 

 ment in the marketing of the fruit. I am alluding 

 to the smaller growers, who do not produce sufficient 

 berries to be able individually to ship out a carload 

 at once. For the carload is the unit of shipment, 



