134 FRUIT FARMING 



with paper, allowing the half of each sheet to hang 

 over the sides for turning over the top when all is 

 finished ; then place a good layer of moss or soft wood 

 wool evenly over the bottom, slightly tilt one end, and 

 commence by folding the fruit in the squares of paper 

 on which they are resting. Shake a little loose moss 

 along the lower end of the box, and place the first 

 Peach in one corner. Keep it in its place with the left 

 hand, follow with more moss and fruit, never with- 

 drawing the left hand until the box is full. Each 

 Peach will then be resting in a soft nest, say an inch 

 from the bottom, and about the same distance apart. 

 Continue to introduce packing until every fruit is 

 quite firm in its place, then turn back the paper over 

 the whole, leaving room for half an inch of moss 

 between the covering paper and the lid. Owing to 

 the lightness of the lid, a little judgment will be 

 needed in placing the last layer, as safety in transit 

 depends upon the degree of tightness secured by 

 pressing down the lid without bruising the fruit ; nail 

 slightly, and always cord well. In the case of large 

 or long Peaches, lay them on their sides to prevent 

 their tops being bruised. 



Packing Grapes. — W. W. W. finds the best way to 

 pack grapes for market is to place them in small 

 baskets, holding from 8-lb. to lo-lb., first lining the 

 basket with a little paper (no wood wool is required), 

 then placing the bunches close together, their stalks 

 being tied round the outside, and finally putting this 

 basket into a larger one, known to salesmen as flats. 

 This does away with the handling of fruit by salesmen, 

 and cdiisequently they are exposed for sale in the shop 

 windows with as i^ood a bloom as when cut from the 



