BEEEIES AND CHEEHIES BY PARCEL POST. 



13 



RASPBERRIES. 



Dttring 1915 and 1916 experimental shipments of raspberries to 

 the number of 74 were made by parcel post. Nine of these ship- 

 ments were of black raspberries and the others were of red rasp- 

 berries. The berries were shipped in crates of various sizes and 

 types. Pint baskets were used in most of the crates, although a few 

 shipments were made in crates supplied with quart baskets. The 

 crates in which pint baskets were used varied in capacity from 12 to 

 32 pmts. The experimental shipments of raspberries were made 

 over distances which averaged nearly 200 miles and an average of 18 

 hours elapsed between the time the berries were shipped and the time 

 they were received. 



Few of the shipments of raspberries were received in good condi- 

 tion. A number of shipments were received in fair condition and 



Fig. 7. — Black raspterries shipped by parcel post. One crate contained 16 quarts and the other held 

 8 quarts. These berries were picked at the proper degree of maturity and were shipped under favorable 

 weather conditions. 



the berries were fit for use although they were somewhat soft. In 

 most of the shipments the berries were soft and crushed and in many 

 of them the berries were moldy or had become sour. 



It is necessary to use shallow containers of small capacity in the 

 crates used for shipping these berries. Raspberries are of such a 

 dehcate texture and are of such a structure that they have a decided 

 tendency to mass together and it is difficult to provide ventilation. 

 The berries should be handled as fittle as possible after they are 

 picked while crates containing raspberries should be handled very 

 carefully. Parcels sent through the mail must, of necessity, be 

 handled several times and doubtless this causes much damage to 

 raspberries shipped by parcel post. 



The cost of shipping raspberries by parcel post is sfightly higher 

 than that of shipping strawberries or blackberries because raspber- 

 ries are shipped in pint baskets. A 32-pint crate complete with bas- 



