172 FRUIT CULTURE UNDER GLASS. 



that appear the ripest, and if with a gentle pressure 

 from the branch the fruit does not easily separate from 

 its stalk, leave it for another day. Each fruit should be 

 carefully laid upon its base in a basket, the bottom of 

 which is lined with wadding covered with tissue-paper, 

 the fruit being regulated so that one does not touch 

 another. It is well to gather peaches and nectarines for 

 dessert six hours before they are sent to table, and leave 

 them in the fruit-room to cool. Nets are sometimes 

 fixed, and the fruit allowed to drop into them, but 

 peaches should never be allowed to drop if it can be 

 prevented. It is, however, best to use such a precaution, 

 to prevent any that may drop from injury. 



Peaches keep a good many days after they are ripe 

 in a cool place. In 1865 I kept such tender-fleshed 

 varieties as Noblesse and Bellegarde for t\^elve days, in 

 close tin boxes placed in an ice-house, after they were 

 quite fit for table, and then exhibited them in Edin- 

 burgh. Nectarines keep fully longer in this way. 



PACKING PEACHES TO BE SENT TO A DISTANCE. 



When peaches have to be sent by railway and other 

 conveyances, great care is necessary in packing them. 

 The safest way is to have tin boxes divided into com- 

 partments 3f inches square and 4 inches deep. In the 

 bottom of each division put a little fine paper-shavings 

 pressed down. Wrap each fruit carefuUy in a piece of 

 tissue-paper, then set it on its base on a square of 

 cotton wadding, which fold up over the fruit, taking 

 each corner between the fingers and thumb, and dropping 

 it carefully into its place. There should be sufficient 

 wadding round each to prevent oscillation. Over the 



