CONFEEENCE ON FRUIT GROWING. 



19 



provided with holes at the side in order to allow the circulation of air. 

 The most important varieties are wrapped in tissue paper, the colour of 

 which is changed according to the variety of the fruit, and the whole is 

 embedded in shredded paper or wood-wool, and the top is nailed on. In 

 America the fruit is generally packed in barrels, which are filled to above 

 the top of the barrel, and the lid is pressed into position by an extremely 

 ingenious form of foot-lever. 



Careful sorting into various sizes is also most important, and it has 

 even been suggested that the small fruit on a tree should be destroyed in 

 June, as the larger and finer the fruit the better the result, and small, 

 undersized dessert fruit cannot find a market ; the fruit-grower should 

 therefore discard the maggoty, small, or otherwise unsuitable fruits. 



With regard to trade requirements, a thoroughly satisfactory business 

 can only be developed and expanded when the buyer can depend on the 

 seller delivering the fruits in a condition quite up to his expectations and 

 orders. Finally, the most careful packing is absolutely essential. What is 

 the good of having the best fruit if it arrives covered with bruises or other 

 defects, just because the seller did not understand how to pack it ? Much 

 has been learnt on this subject, but much still remains to be learnt, if 

 the growers of table fruit intend to profit as fully as possible by their 

 opportunities. 



The Discussion. 



The President : I can bear testimony to the very great difficulty of 

 packing delicate fruit. I live only twenty-five miles from London, and 

 yet it is difficult to get peaches on the table entirely free from bruises. 

 Of course, with more careful packing the results would be better. We 

 all have seen the exceedingly fine fruit which has been brought from 

 the Cape of Good Hope, and from California, and landed in this country 

 in a first-rate condition. There is one suggestion I should like to make 

 with regard to the packing paper. I believe it will be found that some of 

 the Japanese papers are exceedingly well adapted for that purpose. They 

 are tough and very pliable, and I know that for very delicate Peaches it 

 is very difficult indeed, if not almost impossible, to keep the paper nice. 

 I am in favour of supporting home industries, but we are so closely allied 

 to the Japanese that we might almost call it a home industry. 



Rev. G. H. Engleheart : The question of Government support has 

 been very lightly touched upon, and of course it is a question about 

 which it is scarcely profitable to say much. We know that our Govern- 

 ment have not supported this industry. I was speaking to a member 

 of Parliament of considerable influence the other day, and he said : 

 " Well, it has always been in the English character that these things 

 should be left to individual effort and not to the superintendence of a 

 paternal Government." There is a great deal in that. There is no 

 doubt that success in all departments has been largely initiated and 

 forwarded by individual effort. I am one of those who would not 

 care to be always in the leading-strings of a paternal Government, but 

 one sometimes feels one would like a little help. I myself have lately 

 taken in hand a small orchard down in the Wiltshire country which in 

 the old days was rather famous for its Apples, and especially for its cider 



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