preserving, a?id packing Fruits. 39 



by which fruit of the most delicate bloom may be carried 

 with perfect safety in any conveyance, on springs, for hundreds 

 of miles. 



To preserve the bloom on the grape, complete the thinning 

 of the berries when they have swelled to half their size, and 

 be careful not to dash water violently against them, or subject 

 them to a current of steam. Abundance of light and air are 

 favourable for the production of bloom ; the most powerful 

 sun will not injure it, nor a moderate degree of shade. When 

 grapes with delicate bloom are gathered, they should be placed 

 in a basket of well threshed moss, taking care not to bruise 

 any of the berries, because their juice not only deprives other 

 berries of their bloom, but renders it extremely difficult to 

 restore that bloom by artificial means. 



To restore the bloom to grapes, suspend them in the sort 

 of box already described, and work the puff at intervals of an 

 hour or two. When not wanted for immediate use, they 

 should be suffered to remain all night in the box ; but, when a 

 very delicate bloom is wanted, they should remain a few days. 

 In no situation will they keep so well, and for so long a time, 

 as in the blooming-box. 



Grapes require more care in packing than any other fruit. 

 Mr. Gauen recommends moss and cotton wool, the former 

 well threshed and carefully picked over. Place a layer of moss 

 at the bottom of the box ; on this a layer of cotton wool ; and, 

 next, the bunches, side by side, within half an inch of each 

 other ; fill the interstices with cotton wool, place a layer of 

 the same material over the fruit, and finish with a layer of 

 moss. A false bottom, supported by the sides, may next be 

 introduced, and the layers repeated according to the size of 

 the box. Where the bunches are very large, it is necessary 

 to introduce splints or slips of whalebone through the heavier 

 parts of the bunches, and support them on the sides of the 

 box, or on the interstices of cotton wool. 



Grapes are shown for prizes on two distinct grounds ; the 

 one for size and delicate bloom, the other for flavour. In 

 either case, when the bloom of any part of the bunch has 

 been injured by handling, the puff may be directed against 

 the part injured. Before fixing upon a bunch to show for 

 flavour, it is necessary to taste the bunches in different parts 

 of the house, or of different parts of the same vine. In general, 

 the berries of the best flavour and colour are those of the first 

 ripened bunches (of the bunches at the root end of the 

 vine), and of the lower extremity of the bunch. Grapes, 

 unlike other fruits, do not improve in flavour after gathering ; 



d 4 



