THE VINE AND ITS FRUIT. 



341 



level of the sides, select a third bunch that will fit in 

 tightly between the other two. Proceed in this way 

 until the box is half full, then raise the box to a 

 sharper angle, and press the bunches still closer 

 together; finish cutting, reserving three short 

 clumpy bunches for the last row; return to the 

 grape room, take the gross weight, deduct the weight 

 of the box, and write the nett weight on a card. 



placed between the grapes and the lid, the pressure 

 of the elastic moss keeps every berry in its place, 

 prevents the loss of bloom by friction, and the 

 stalks which stand upwards pi-event the shoulders 

 from touching the lid. 



The preceding directions apply to Hamburghs; 

 Muscats being more tender require greater care, and 

 the less they are handled the better, as any undue 



Fig. 27. -Grapes Staged for Exhibition. 



Place the box flat upon the table, get a supply of 

 moss near the right hand, and commence wedging the 

 grapes away from the sides by the introduction of small 

 quantities of moss into the cavities formed by draw- 

 ing the thi'ee thicknesses of paper inwards ; gradually 

 work round, constantly drawing the paper inwards 

 until the berries begin to show signs of rising out of 

 the box. Strain a sheet of paper over the top, secure 

 the card containing the weight with a tack. Turn 

 up the paper from the outside, and secure the lid. 

 Some gardeners place moss or wadding over the 

 paper, and thus take all the bloom off the shoulders. 

 Nothing more than a sheet of paper should be 



pressure or friction causes them to change colour when 

 opened and exposed to the air. They must, however, 

 have sufficient packing to prevent them from moving 

 in transit. If the bunches are very large it may be 

 necessary to use wider boxes, but they need not be 

 deeper. Having prepared the box by laying two 

 inches of moss at the bottom, line the sides and ends 

 with strips of wadding folded in silver paper, and 

 proceed as before by tilting the box to a sharp angle. 

 Place a double sheet of silver paper in the lower 

 angle, allov/ing two-thirds to run along the bottom. 

 Cut the first bunch, lay it lengthwise across the box, 

 turn up the ends of the paper, and draw them with 



