114 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



securely in its place. The stiffness of the paper is sup- 

 posed to come in contact with the bunch at fewer points 

 than when wrapped up in more flexible paper, and on 

 that account to better preserve the bloom. There is, 

 however, at the same time, room left for the oscillation of 

 those berries not in immediate contact with the paper, and 

 this is objectionable. In sending grapes to a distance I 

 have never adopted this mode of packing, but have either 

 wrapped each bunchy in a sheet of fine tissue-paper, and 

 packed them on a firm bed of paper-shavings as close as 

 they would lie, with just sufficient wadding between 

 each to fill up the irregularities of the outline of the 

 bunches. When the box is thus filled, a sheet of wad- 

 ding is spread regularly over the bunches, and over aU 

 a layer of paper-shavings ; so that when the lid is shut 

 down they are subject to as much pressure as prevents 

 their moving. At other times, when only sending a few 

 bunches in one compartment of a box, I have spread a 

 sheet of paper over the shavings in the bottom of the 

 box, and laid all the bunches as nicely fitted into each 

 other as possible on it, then put another sheet of tissue- 

 paper over them, then some cotton wadding, finishing off 

 with a layer of paper-shavings. In this way I have always 

 found them go quite safely. When a quantity has to 

 be sent in one box it should be divided into compart- 

 ments, so that when the box happens to be set down 

 standing on end or side, the grapes at the lower part of it 

 cannot possibly be subject to much pressure from the 

 top end of the box. I do not know of any way of send- 

 ing them to preserve their bloom, for unless some person 

 is sent with the box there must be packing material on 

 the upper side of the grapes. 



