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grease-proof transparent papers, dull papers and cardboard are 

 all used. The particular type chosen depends more on local 

 custom than on merit. The Ministry's Inspectors point out that 

 paper covers have many disadvantages; they give no protection 

 to the fruit, moisture or heat is unable to escape, and buyers in 

 the market have to tear the paper to see the quality of the fruit. 

 Muslin is superior to paper and generally gives satisfaction, 

 except where the fruit is subject to rough treatment during transit 

 or in the markets. For general use a cardboard cover or a very 

 light chip-wood cover would be preferable because of the added 

 protection that would be afforded to the fruit. This again is a 

 matter on which the whole industry should agree. 



Transport. — Where the grower can deliver the fruit in his 

 own vehicles to the markets the transport problem is simple. 

 The growers of Kent and Middlesex delivered by motors a very 

 large quantity of berries to the London markets, and smaller 

 quantities were sent in this way from Hampshire, Wisbech and 

 Cheddar. This method of transport achieved such successful 

 results that it is possible to foresee that the motor will become, 

 in the near future, a serious competitor of the railway for the 

 transport of soft fruit. 



The Railway Companies, though confronted this year with 

 additional difficulties in consequence of the coal trouble, strove 

 in a whole-hearted manner to cope with this seasonal and very 

 difficult traffic, and generally gave satisfaction. The Great 

 Western Railway Co. kept the Cheddar Valley supplied with 

 an adequate supply of vans nicely fitted with shelves on which 

 the baskets of ripe strawberries were placed. Incidentally here 

 it might be mentioned that the Cheddar growers fasten four 

 baskets together with a stick tied across the handles. The stick 

 gives support to the frail basket and helps to keep.it in place 

 and affords valuable protection to the contents ; further time is 

 saved in packing the vans as a porter can by this means handle 

 8 baskets at a time. The South Western Railway Co. supplied 

 to Hampshire a large number of vans also adequately and pro- 

 perly fitted with shelves, and fruit properly packed in these tra- 

 velled without damage. From this district a few vans were sent 

 off with the baskets packed on top of each other six or seven high 

 in the van, with no shelves. The Company did this as an experi- 

 ment, and they have expressed themselves satisfied with the result 

 on the ground of costs saved. Judging, however, from the reports 

 of growers and salesmen the fruit in the lower layers of baskets 

 was very much damaged. Should the vans used for this traffic. 



