GATHEEING AKD MAKKETIXG MUSHROOMS. 119 



merchants, who have to deal them out in quantities to 

 suit customers, mushrooms should always be packed in 

 one, two, three or four pound boxes or baskets, prefer- 

 ably one pound. Mushrooms are not like potatoes or 

 apples, that can be handled, remeasured, and repacked 

 without damaging them. Each rehandling will certainly 

 discolor and perhaps break a good many of them, ren. 

 dering them unsalable, if not worthless. 



The utmost care in gathering and jiacking of mush- 

 rooms for shipping is of primary importance. Gather 

 them the moment they are in best condition, no matter 

 whether or not they are to be packed and shipped the 

 same day ; never let them blow open before gathering 

 them ; and never cut off short stems. Long stems have 

 to be shortened, but not until everything is ready to 

 pack them. With a very soft hair brush dust off any 

 earth that may stick to the cap of the mushroom, and 

 with a harder brush or the back of a knife rub the earth 

 off of the root end of the stem. Then sort the mush- 

 ]-ooms, — the big ones by themselves, the middle-sized by 

 themselves, the small or button-sized ones by themselves, 

 and pack each kind by itself. Pack very firmly without 

 bruising, and so as to show the pretty caps to the best 

 advantage. Never pack mushrooms more than two deep 

 without using plenty of soft paper between the layers, 

 and never put a heavy bulk of them into one box or bas- 

 ket. They discolor so easily that, all things considered, 

 about a pound is enough in a box, if we vvish them to 

 carry safely and retain their bright, fresh skin without 

 tarnishing. 



Mr. Barter, of London, writes me: "The punnets 

 we use for marketing our mushrooms in are the same 

 that are used for strawberries or peaches. These hold 

 just one pound, but it is becoming more customary now 

 to have little boxes made holding from three to five 

 pounds, as these are better for packing in larger cases 

 for long joH'Tieys." 



