So)neti)nes our labors seem as lost 



And all our ^earnings seem in vain. 



And blessings that we pri^e the most 



Are blown in wind^ or dropped in rain. 



Avoiding Frosts. — Major Powers decided Wednesday 

 night to get ahead of the effects of any frost that might 

 visit this section, and so he set fire to some stumps and 

 brush surrounding his peach orchard, a transaction the 

 effects of which may be made visible later in the season. 

 Since the above was in type we learn that A. S. Pack- 

 ard had from twelve to twenty men in his orchard Tues- 

 day and Wednesday nights attending to fire to keep off 

 the effects of any frost that might come, there being 

 some on each night. — South JJai'en (Mich.) Siii/me/, 

 May g. 



Old Crates and Heavy Charges for Same. — An in- 

 spection and inquiry in the Washington, D. C, markets 

 brought to light the fact that some of the Norfolk ship- 

 pers are charging as high as a dollar apiece for old, 

 dingy, weather-beaten 24-quart American basket crates, 

 in which were shipped their early strawberries. This 

 was no little surprise to both the retailer and the 

 writer when I told them that the whole thing — quart- 

 basket and crate — brand new, cost but thirty-five 

 cents, and moreover, that there was a crate equally 

 as good, if not better, with the same capacity, that cost 

 only fifteen cents, and known as the square 24-quart 

 crate. This is certainly another piece of imposition 

 upon an innocent buying public that should receive a 

 hearty protest from everyone. In the first place, no 

 such unattractive and unsightly packages should be used, 

 and in the second place, no such charges should be de- 

 manded for them, for if paid by the middleman, surely 

 the ultimate result is that the consumer pays enough 

 extra to make good these exorbitant charges and save 

 the middleman. Consignees have the privilege of re- 

 turning the crates at a considerable cost or pay for them 

 as stated. We will say that the time has come when 

 sharp competition will "floor" any man who grows 

 fruits for markets and does not use a new, clean and at- 

 tractive package ; and he should be downed. Using old 

 packages is saving a nickle and losing a dollar's worth of 

 reputation. Reputation to a fruit grower is worth often 

 more than his crops. 



Returning crates is a thing of the past, and should be 

 totally discarded. None but new, bright crates, and 

 especially boxes, are profitable. If orders are sent 

 in to the manufacturer in the fall for early spring de- 

 livery, there never would be a time when delayed ship- 

 ments could be offered as an excuse for using old un- 



sightly packages. We call attention to this error and the 

 overcharge for crates for the good of both shipper and 

 consumer, and especially the shipper, if he intends to 

 keep up respectable business relations with his patrons. 

 — T. L. B. 



An Orchard Record. — In regard to keeping the names 

 of trees in an orchard, I will give my plan, followed for 

 some time. Plant trees a regular distance apart each 



way- 



— apples. 



33 



feet ; 



peaches 



16^2 



feet 









A 



A 



A 



A 



A 



A 



A 



A 



A 



A 



A 



A 



I 



2 



3 



4 



5 



6 



7 



S 



9 



10 



II 



12 



B 



B 



B 



B 



B 



B 



B 



B 



B 



B 



B 



B 



I 



2 



3 



4 



5 



6 



7 



8 



9 



10 



1 1 



12 



C 



C 



C 



C 



C 



C 



C 



C 



C 



C 



C 



C 



I 



2 



3 



4 



5 



6 



7 



8 



9 



10 



11 



12 



D 



D 



D 



D 



D 



D 



D 



D 



D 



D 



D 



D 



I 





3 



4 



5 



6 



7 



8 



9 



10 



1 1 



12 



E 



E 



E 



E 



E 



E 



E 



E 



E 



E 



E 



E 



I 



2 



3 



4 



5 



6 



7 



8 



9 



10 



II 



12 



F 



F 



F 



F 



F 



F 



F 



F 



F 



F 



F 



F 



I 



2 



3 



4 



5 



6 



7 



8 



9 



10 



II 



12 



This gives letters running one way and figures the 

 other. When Z is reached, simply double the letter. 

 I keep a complete list while planting trees, then take 

 map and mark up, and at same time remove the tag and 

 mark its position on the back by letter and figure, to 

 serve as a check when I come to map the work. This 

 is the list : 



A I — Baldwin. 

 A 2— do. 

 A 3— do. 



F I — Mann. 

 F 2 — do. 

 F 3- do. 



Y I — Grimes Gold'n. 



Y 2— do. 



Y 3- do. 



A 40 — Gol. Sweet. F 40 — Dickins'n Y 40 — Stark. 

 A 41 — do. F 41 — do. Y 41 — do. 



A 42 — do. F 42 — do. Y 42 — do. 



A 61— Ben Davis. F 61 — E. Harv't. Y 61 — King. 



I mark each row of trees along the fence by its proper 

 letter, and on the other fence by its figure. I can then 

 walk up to the tree wanted. I am down on tags, for the 

 curiosity of people removes them. — F. M., in Couniry 

 Gciitlcinau . 



