132 FRUIT FARMING 



pickers earn from i/- to i/g per day, and even more 

 where they are paid by the punnet, but the better 

 plan with small growths is to pay by day work, 

 pickers then take more pains in gathering". Extra 

 fine Raspberries, especially " Superlative," pay hand- 

 somely in flat punnets of J-lb. or i-lb. each; lined 

 with leaves neatly before the fruit is placed in 

 them. In the case of Raspberries and Strawberries, 

 the baskets are all brought to a central lodge, 

 where the foreman, after weighing, gives a tin 

 ticket for every measure brought in. Orchard 

 fruit is gathered by men and women ; Nuts by both ; 

 soft fruit by both, and children. When Apples are 

 sold by the ton for jam pulp, they are sometimes sent 

 in American oil-cake casks, or flour barrels, and also 

 in sacks. Care should always be taken to send good 

 weight, avoiding the annoyance of " shorts " and loss 

 of price, which is out of all proportion to the possible 

 value of the tare deducted. Nuts used to be sold by 

 the ioo-lb., but now they are sold by the cvvt. or ton. 

 They are sent up in sieves (8 gallons), or, when 

 harvested, in bags, they are sold in the husks (not 

 shelled out). The following, taken from the Gardeners' 

 Chronicle, will be useful: 



PACKING PEACHES AND NECTARINES. Mr. Coleman 

 says " I will now lay down a few rules to be observed 

 by beginners. Always have a good store of dry moss 

 in stock, the best and cheapest of all packing materials. 

 (Soft wood wool is now generally substituted for moss). 

 If properly beaten and prepared, it is soft, elastic, 



and never heats in the boxes. Avoid the use of bran 



> 



as it has a tendency to sink in bulk when shaken on 

 the journey; the Peaches become loose, and as a 



