PACKING FRUIT FOR MARKET, 329 



CHAPTER III. 



Packing Fruit for Market. 



IN no branch of commercial fruit-growing has more pro- 

 gress been made in recent years than in packing for 

 market. Both home and foreign supplies of fruit have 

 increased so enormously in our markets that competition 

 is keen, and only really good produce, carefully graded 

 and packed, can be expected to realise satisfactory prices. 

 The days are long past when fruit could be knocked or 

 shaken from the trees, poured anyhow into baskets, and 

 sent to market with large and small specimens mixed 

 together. Nowadays no profit would attend such a care- 

 less system. It cannot be denied that there is still a great 

 deal of poor packing done, as a visit to any large market 

 shows, but it will be found that the most successful 

 growers give a great deal of attention to this branch of 

 their work. Certainly it pays to do so. Even in a crowded 

 market there is always room for the produce of a man 

 who has become known amongst the regular buyers as 

 one upon whom they can rely for careful and honest 

 packing. Consistent good packing is bound to bring its 

 reward. The buyers get to know that, when they see a 

 certain grower's name on the label, the package can be 

 relied upon to hold the full weight stated, and to con- 

 tain the same quality at the bottom as at the top. There 

 could hardly be a better example of the truth of the well- 

 worn proverb Honesty is the best policy. 



Gathering for Market. Care in gathering is the first 

 necessity, for tasteful packing is of little use if the fruit 

 has already been bruised and disfigured. Speaking gene- 

 rally, most kinds of fruit should be gathered before they 

 are dead ripe, though by no means long before. It must 



