156 HANDLING AND MARKETING THE CROP. 



this quilts made of cotton batting are used, so 

 that there is about an inch of frost-proof mate- 

 rial protecting the flowers. As in other cases, the 

 stems of the violets are wrapped in moist tissue 

 paper, and a layer of oil paper, which is put into 

 the box before the flowers are inserted, keeps in 

 the moisture and odor. It has been found by ex- 



47. Shipping- box closed and strapped, 



perience that such packages are handled more 

 gently by express men, and the flowers in all cases 

 reach their destination in excellent shape. Once 

 in a while some are lost through frost, but this 

 seldom occurs, except through the carelessness of 

 the railroad people. 



The gift boxes, which are not returned to the 



