432 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



beneficially on them, and confirmed our previous opinion that 

 good liquid manure is still one of the best fertilisers. 



Packing and Preparing the Fruit for Market. 



Large quantities of fruit are destroyed by bad packing. In 

 many instances the fruit is placed loosely several layers deep in 

 baskets or boxes, with the result that in most cases it arrives at 

 its destination in a bruised and damaged condition. The best 

 system of packing is to place the fruit in a single layer in 

 shallow boxes. The boxes should be strong and light, holding 

 from 10 to 15 lbs. each ; and when a larger quantity is to be 

 sent away a number of boxes should be placed on the top of 

 each other, and fastened together with strong cord. A little soft 

 hay, dry sphagnum moss, or wood wool should be placed in the 

 bottom of the box, and on this a covering of soft white paper. 

 The fruit should be packed closely together, stalk end down- 

 wards. When the box is full or the requisite quantity put in, 

 the fruit should be covered with paper and all vacant spaces 

 filled with the packing material before the top is put on. Too 

 much emphasis cannot be laid upon the absolute necessity of 

 packing the fruit firmly, to prevent it moving about, as it would 

 thereby become damaged. Neither grass nor any damp material 

 should be used for packing Tomatos, for if they remain in the 

 boxes for several hours, heating or fermentation takes place, 

 which materially injures the quality of the fruit. When 

 Tomatos are sent to market, or have to undergo a railway 

 journey, it is advisable to gather them before they are fully ripe, 

 as in that state they would reach their destination in better con- 

 dition. It should, however, be remembered that probably there 

 is no fruit that deteriorates more quickly than the Tomato after 

 it is removed from the plant. It is owing to this fact that home- 

 grown Tomatos are so incomparably better than those imported. 

 When Tomatos have attained their full size, and are cut off in 

 a green state, they will subsequently assume an appearance of 

 ripening, but there can be no comparison between such fruit 

 and that which is ripened on the plant. 



Experiments in Grafting in 1896. 



An interesting experiment was made by grafting the Tomato 

 on the stem of the Potato, and vice versa. The Tomato grafted 



