68 



ORCHARD FRUIT TREE CULTURE 



Probably we were ahead of the time in wishing to pack at a central 

 station, though we have been always convinced that the scheme 

 was thoroughly sound ; but our effort did not last beyond the 

 initial stages, and not long enough to prove its advantages. But 

 it did not fail. The ideas it stood for took root, and to-day the 

 vast majority of tomato growers send their produce to market 

 uniformly graded and of uniform weight, viz. 12 Ib. There does 

 not exist to-day, nor will there ever again exist, any desire to revert 

 to the old-time lack of system. 



FIG. 29. Barrel of Bramley's 



This same revolution is being rapidly effected with our hardy 

 fruits, and we are anxious to hasten it. Tremendous advances 

 have been made and are yet in the making. How great they are 

 we can best illustrate by one further reminiscence. Come with us 

 back to 1894. We are on the premises of what, for that time, was a 

 large fruit grower. The barn in which we were standing was a very 

 large one, and the floor was covered with large pyramids of fruit 

 covered with straw. The pyramids varied in size, some containing 

 about 5 cwt., others as many as 3 or 4 tons. It was January. The 

 fruit had been gathered into bushel baskets and shot into these 



