212 JOURNAl/OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



cessful. He personally preferred the Australian system of 

 oblong or square boxes. 



Mr. Wm. Roupell remarked that last year he had a few 

 tons of apples sent up from one of the fruit districts, and he 

 particularly requested that care should be taken in packing the 

 fruit. The fruit was sent in large barrels, containing about 

 112 lb. The barrels were lined with a thick spongy paper, and 

 on the top there was a pad of paper with some straw, a wicker 

 cover being drawn tightly over the whole with strings. The 

 apples arrived in capital condition, and the only objection to the 

 wicker top was that it was rather a temptation to the railway 

 men to open the barrels and occasionally test the quality of the 

 fruit. Some of the finest fruit was very impatient of bruises. 

 There was even a difference in that respect between American, 

 Australian, and English apples. He fancied English apples 

 were more juicy and more impatient of bruises than the others. 

 The Blenheim Orange was a favourite apple, and there was an 

 almost unlimited demand for it in London. There was hope for 

 all who would take the trouble to grade properly. With 

 reference to the storing of fruit, Mr. Watkins had stated that 

 it was better to err on the side of dampness rather than dry- 

 ness. He wished Mr. Watkins had been more emphatic on that 

 subject. Generally speaking, gardeners kept their fruit a great 

 deal too dry, and when it was sent into the house it was often 

 shrivelled. He remembered when a boy feeling for apples in 

 the long grass, and he found some Mannington Pearmain in 

 excellent condition, although they had lain in the snow. Some 

 varieties would burst with the frost, but Cox's Orange Pippin, 

 Sturmer Pippin, and Mannington Pearmain would stand several 

 degrees of frost without injury. Washington and American 

 Mother would stand the frost very well, but still it was 

 important to keep the frost out. If, however, that could not be 

 done, they should not despair, and if they only refrained from 

 handling the fruit, their loss from frost would be inconsiderable. 



Mr. F. B. Parfitt asked whether apples packed by the dozen 

 in card-board boxes would find a market in London. 



Mr. Watkins replied that such boxes might find a ready sale 

 among private consumers. He did not think smaller quantities 

 than two or three dozen would pay for market purposes. 



A hearty vote of thanks was then accorded to Mr. Watkins 

 for his paper, and the proceedings ended. 



