{ I05 ) 



For instance, it is a good time to bag peaches by the end of the 

 stoning period, whi'st we are accustomed to begin the work of 

 bagging much earlier, just as they reach the size of a ripe cherry. 



The primary aim of bagging was to protect the fruits 

 from injuries. It is recorded in our old writirigs used a 

 long time ago by our forefathers. But it is now known that 

 by this process, the growth of the fruit is favored and the 

 ripening is accelerated by several days. 



Morever, the skin remains very thin and delicate, and the 

 fruits are larger in size, and above all they are more uniform, 

 whether exposed or in shade, a point of high importance in the 

 market 



There are still many other advantages derived from 

 bagging. 



Many kind of enemies increase rapidly in our favorable 

 cLmate, and have to be contended with to insure success. 

 These operations become sometimes very trou6lesome, and 

 consume much time and labour beside entailing additional 

 expenses. Moreover, they have to be- performed over and 

 above the primary occupation of our farmers and cultivators, 

 which is rice culture. It is therefore too much to expect them 

 to devote a large amount of labour to orchards or invest much 

 capital in spraying and like operations. The wide-spread 

 adoption of the process of bagging is to be attributed to these 

 circumstances, as the simplest, most economical and most 

 effective means for the protection of fruit. 



The paper bags are removed at the harvest. In the 

 large centre of orchard fruits between Tokio and Yokohama, 

 the work is done several days prior to the harvest, in order 

 to bring out the full colours of the fruits. 



The work of bagging is exclusively done by women. A 

 skillful hand can work 1500-2000 bags a day. Even unskilled 

 hands can bag 500-700 peaches or pears in a day. The mouth 

 of the bag is closed on covering, so as to keep out the enemies, 

 and tied with twine, such as that of " Riusiu " (Scirpus triqueter, 



