72 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



By way of contrast to the foregoing, I take ' Doyenne du Cornice 1 

 Pear, from two bushes growing in the open, which produced 178 lb. 

 For these the prices realized were 65s. per cwt. for the first grade 

 and 37s. for the second grade. 



One more illustration of prices for pears sold in the wholesale 

 market : ' Durondeau/ a bush in the open, bearing 172 lb. These 

 realized 32s. per cwt. for first grade and 20s. for second grade. 



All these examples of prices, and any which may follow, were for 

 fruit grown in 1917, the year of plenty, on the one hand, and of low 

 prices on the other ; and examples are taken from that year for those 

 reasons. An example of apples for the same year is ' Worcester 

 Pearmain.' Of these there was an abundant crop of good fruit. 

 The first grade realized 27s. per cwt., the second grade, 23s. 6d. 



Another example of pears is that of * Doyenne Boussoch/ which 

 shows a material difference between the return for the first grade and 

 second grade. The fruit was from bush trees growing in the open, 

 and the prices realized were 22s. per cwt. for the first grade and 13s. id. 

 for the second grade. 



' Annie Elizabeth * apple, grown in 1917 and sold April 12, 1918, 

 realized for first grade, 95s. per cwt., and second grade 67s. Apple 

 ' Schoolmaster/ grown in 1917 and sold on December 5, realized 

 22s. per cwt. for first grade and 11s. for second grade. 



With the foregoing examples, and notwithstanding some dis- 

 appointments, there can be very little doubt that it pays to grade 

 fruit of nearly all kinds. 



Many growers decline to grade their plums, and send them to 

 market as they are gathered from the trees. In the case of common 

 varieties there is frequently some justification for this ; but occa- 

 sionally there are distinctly better samples among the bulk which 

 merit special treatment and which pay for the trouble. Choice- 

 flavoured varieties and varieties striking to the eye for their great 

 size should unquestionably be graded ; and though the salesman may 

 not always appreciate the distinction, he does so in many instances. 

 But the consumers are not always infallible or discreet when making 

 their purchases of fruit,, and will frequently prefer the huge, flavourless, 

 coarse ' Belle de Louvain ' to a ' Purple Gage/ ' Coe's Golden Drop/ 

 1 Old Green Gage/ or ' Jefferson.' 



Currants, black, red, and white, are always worth grading ; but 

 how frequently is an otherwise good sample spoiled by the presence 

 of a few small, ill-coloured, or almost dry fruit ! 



Raspberries also should be graded when necessary ; but in this 

 case grading is reduced to a minimum or rendered unnecessary if the 

 varieties be sent to market in separate packages. For example, 

 ' Bath's Perfection ' should not be mixed with ' Superlative ' or 

 • Hornet ' or ' Norwich Wonder.' ' Prince of Wales ' — old and for- 

 gotten though it be — is a prolific, good-flavoured, and good-looking 

 raspberry, deserving to have its own basket. 



Loganberries should not escape the attention of the grader. The 



