1002 A Chip Basket Factory. [Feb., 



Handling and Delivery of Fruit.— The growers are most 

 particular to ensure that the fruit arrives at the station in good 

 condition. Fruit is very rarely topped on the growers' carts, but 

 shelves are fitted to allow the fruit chips to travel in single layers 



Markets and Market Charges. — Apart from Bristol the three 

 principal markets favoured by the Cheddar Valley growers last 

 year were Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. 



Before the commencement of the season, many commission 

 salesmen and their agents tour the district, and solicit fruit for 

 sale on commission. 



The Association Marketing Committee discusses any case of 

 sharp practice on the part of commission salesmen, and any man 

 not playing the game soon finds his supply cut off. 



In addition to the carriage, most salesmen compel the grower 

 to meet a charge of Id. per chip for porterage. In addition the 

 salesman usually takes 7 1 per cent, commission on the sale 

 price. In Birmingham market, it is customary to credit the 

 grower Id. per chip for the value of the chip, and this credit is 

 occasionally allowed by salesmen in other markets. 



Claims against the Railway Company. — It is interesting to 

 note, that in spite of the tonnage carried up to June 25th last 

 (223 tons 17 cwt.), claims have been received from growers for 

 total loss of fruit to the extent of only a few cwt. 



* * * * * * 



A CHIP BASKET FACTORY. 



J. W. Lawky, Cal stock. 



It is generally agreed to be highly desirable that the country- 

 side should be more fully developed, so as to provide remunerative 

 employment for far greater numbers than at present. Nearly all 

 the great factories are located in large towns and cities, and in 

 many cases there are reasons why this is unavoidable, but in 

 others the reasons are emphatically in favour of the industries 

 being transferred to the rural districts. In the following paper 

 an instance is given of such a transfer and the successive steps 

 that led up to it. 



For over fifty years the Tamar Valley has been known through- 

 out the Kingdom as a great fruit growing district, especially for 

 strawberries, of which it annually sends the earliest English 

 supplies (grown in the open) to the various British markets. 

 The writer sent the first consignment from Cornwall some 60 

 years since. Through improper packing this first venture was 



