100 PACKING AND MARKETING 



suited for the Peas when they are in water. A little air 

 circulating among them will not hurt them in the least. 



Many of the flowers will improve a great deal after 

 being cut, the blooms enlarging quite perceptibly. Blue 

 varieties gain in quality up to about 12 hours after cutting. 

 From that the color declines in brilliancy. Scarlet, pink 

 and orange varieties retain their fine color for a good while, 

 but are apt to take on a magenta tint if allowed to remain 

 too long in the water after being cut. Two hours is sufficient 

 for them. Should the flowers be damp or wet — and this, 

 of course, refers to blooms from the open air — it is advisable 

 to place them in a house where a warm current of air may 

 pass over and among them, because it is essential that 

 before packing and shipping the blooms be quite dry. The 

 warm air will do this and will not in the least detract from 

 the value of the blooms. 



The boxes in which the blooms are packed vary in 

 size, some being 10 in. by 2 ft. long, and 4 in. deep; others 

 20 in. long, 12 in. wide and 5 in. deep; while boxes even 

 larger still are used for the ordinary crop and for the 

 Summer flowers (see illustrations). In the former, 24 

 bunches of 19 spikes of Peas are packed. In the latter, 30 

 to 36 bunches. In the case of the shorter stemmed grades 

 these are often bunched in twenty-fives, and are packed in 

 an upright position. An illustration of this method is given. 

 The boxes are of light but strong corrugated paper. 



Of course, according to the season, or the condition of 

 the weather, so will there be a need for heavy or light 

 packing. In frosty weather, every precaution must be exercised. 

 It is worse than useless, because it is money thrown away, 

 to send out a box the contents of which are sure to get 

 frozen. See, therefore, that sufficient packing material 

 is put around to insure safe transit of the flowers. News- 



