PLUMS FOR THE MARKET. 



207 



bottom of the baskets should never be adopted, bat all should be 

 of one uniform quality alike. Should it so happen that a portion 

 of the fruit is only of second or third rate quality, it should be 

 sent to market by itself, and the best quality by itself. I am 

 -confident the salesmen would bear me out that this is far more 

 satisfactory, not only to the purchasers, but also in the long run 

 to the growers also. It is a great mistake, too, only to about half 

 fill the baskets, as purchasers always know when they have full 

 weight, and will only buy accordingly. 



Large kinds, such as Victoria and others, ripen at different 

 times, so that the trees should always be picked over at least 

 three times. The first time gather only the ripest fruits, and 

 this will allow those left to come to a much larger size and richer 

 colour. The smaller kinds of Plums may all be gathered at once, 

 which is often an advantage when a large area has to be gone 

 over. 



I may, in conclusion, make one or two remarks as to the prices 

 obtained for Plums in the market. This varies considerably 

 according to the season, and foreign consignments also have a 

 marked effect on our markets. During the last seventeen years 

 I have been sending Plums to market on a rather extensive 

 scale. Some seasons we have sent off as many as sixty tons 

 during the season. In bad seasons our supply has fallen to 

 ten or twelve tons. But on an average we despatch to various 

 markets from thirty to forty tons a year. The prices we have 

 obtained have varied considerably. I have known really first- 

 class fruit sell as low as Is. 3d. a bushel, whilst in other years 

 the same class of fruit has fetched 18s. a bushel, and very late in 

 the autumn we have sold Plums for as much as 25s. a bushel. 

 I mention this to show that it is not all profit in growing Plums, 

 any more than with any other class of fruit. At the same time, 

 I think that by growing Plums as bushes and standards, mixed 

 with an under-crop of Gooseberries, Black and Eed Currants, 

 Easpberries, &c, a good margin of profit can be secured for the 

 grower, always supposing that the soil and situation are suitable, 

 and proper varieties of each kind of fruit selected. 



A plantation of well-grown fruit trees is a sight well pleasing 

 to see, but no one must for one moment suppose that it can be 

 maintained for any length of time by a policy of " rest and be 

 thankful." To keep all clean and in good order and good 



