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quality. In addition to this brand it is customary to have on the 

 case the brand of the shipper or of the grower. Such a brand 

 should be attractive as well as distinct and conspicuous, which will 

 prove a great convenience when shipping and handling stacks of 



cases. 



Lemons cured and handled as explained can with profit be 

 stored until such time as a brisker market will absorb them at an 

 enhanced price. 



Thus, lemons which would sell when the market is glutted for, 

 say, 3s. a case, as happens when the bulk of the crop comes in 

 in May or June, may be kept until the return of the warm weather 

 in September and October, when the demand for them is more 

 active and when the market is bare of the imported Sicilians, which 

 only arrive in November. At that season good lemons are scarce, 

 and sell for 10s. to 12s. a case and even more. The profit which 

 the grower is susceptible of getting by curing and keeping his 

 good lemons may be estimated thus : From the time of keeping in 

 April and May until September or October, there is a natural 

 shrinkage of the fruit, which amounts to about one-third of the 

 bulk : three cases, as cut, produce two cases cured. In other words, 

 three cases at 3s. equal two cases at 4s. 6d. To this must be added 

 a certain percentage of loss during curing and long keeping, 

 which averages less than 10 per cent., or say 6d. per case, bringing 

 up to 5s., in September and October, the price of lemons which, in 

 May and June, would have sold for 3s., and thus showing a surplus 

 profit of 5s. to 7s. per case for the.extra care in cutting, curing, and 

 storing. 



WHAT A FRUIT CASE SHOULD BE. 



As packing-cases are at times scarce and difficult to procure in 

 the height of the fruit season, thoughtful growers should lay in a 

 stock some time beforehand. 



Damp and light give a weather-stained look to the wood and 

 turns it yellow, and the stocks should for that reason be stacked in 

 a dark and dry place. The dryness of the wood is of great 

 importance, much loss being caused by the use of green timber for 

 cases that are used for export. 



The cases should be made of light but tough wood, which does 

 not split when the slats are nailed together. The material should 

 be sufficiently strong to withstand a moderate amount of pressure, 

 such as that caused by heaping up cases on the top of one another 

 or by slinging them into and out of the ship's hold. 



The cases should be lined with strong white paper, and after 

 packing they should be left, if possible, for a day or two if the fruit 

 is of a keeping class ; they will thus settle before the lid is nailed 

 down. 



The temptation of fastening the lids with twice as many nails 

 as are'really necessary should be resisted, as forcing the Jids when 



