ii 4 THE BOOK OF MARKET GARDENING 



tion of the market bundle and one at each end completes 

 it. Many thousands of such bundles are sent from the 

 Vale of Evesham every year. Though often consigned 

 in open baskets, Asparagus is much safer and better 

 when packed in flat-lidded baskets or hampers, with 

 some soft green material which will help to retain the 

 " grass " in a fresh state. It is customary to send a 

 large quantity of the " grass " to market with the base 

 of the stems uneven and jagged as cut from the beds, 

 but the appearance is greatly improved if these are cut 

 evenly across after the bundle is tied, and a less surface 

 is also exposed for evaporation. The French growers 

 employ a little machine for making the bundles even, as 

 this is furnished with a knife by which the ends are cut 

 at the same time. Practice is needed in tying Asparagus 

 to the best advantage, but some women and girls become 

 very expert at the work. 



Sea-kale is made up into flat spreading bundles to 

 display the hearts and stalks to the best advantage. The 

 base of the stem or the upper part of the root is cut 

 short, but partly to conceal this and give the bunch a 

 better effect, it is placed in a slanting position in a plaited 

 punnet sufficiently wide to hold it firmly, and the depth 

 is regulated in proportion to the size of the rootstalk 

 left on the plants. The bunch requires to be tied, and 

 sometimes a little soft paper is wrapped round the base, 

 while the punnet also needs securing. Placed in larger 

 baskets, careful packing is needed to avoid injury to 

 the sea-kale, which should also come out as clean as 

 possible. Smooth surfaced tissue paper should be freely 

 used, and all made firm with wood-wool not in contact 

 with the produce. 



For the earliest forced rhubarb, and all grades up to 

 the latest, out-door produce bundling is the most usual 

 and convenient way of preparing the crop for market. 

 There is no fixed or standard size for these bundles : they 



