THB INT:eRIOR OP THE PACKING HOUSE. 
A snap shot at the dinner hour. On the left of the aisle in front stands A. A. Udell, a Lieutenant in 
the regiment with President William McKinlev during the war. He has been our superintendent ot this 
department for many years, a strict disciplinarian and a genial gentlemen. The women clean and count the 
plants. Every department isunder a responsible foreman. The room is kept cold and damp, and the win- 
dows shaded Each variety has its own stall, no confusion, no talking and no nonsense during working 
hours Business dispatched with absolute accuracy. The most perfectly equipped packing house m America. 
you know that every root is soaked and then 
heel them in at once. Put a few plants in the 
trench and spread them out and put the soil on 
thinly, but press it in among the roots, then 
another layer of plants. 
Keep the labels on the plants and exercise 
extreme care not to mix the varieties. Every 
bunch has a label on it, and these should be 
stuck in the ground so there can be no mis- 
take. The plants can be kept in the trenches 
for a long time, if the weather is not suitable 
for setting them. Do not wet them too much 
so as to bake the soil on top. The ground 
must be only moist. If early in spring, and in- 
dications are for a heavy frost, spread an old 
blanket or put some straw over them. 
While a strawberry will endure shipment 
from ocean to ocean and even foreign ports, 
when skillfully packed in spaghnum moss, yet 
a few minutes exposure to a bright sun and 
wind will make the roots as dry as hay, and 
they will surely perish. We shall use the ut- 
most care in delivering the plants to you, and 
itlren their success will depend on your care. 
You will find a world of pleasure in the 
business, if you have studied this book careful- 
ly, and by following its teachings you will 
build up a business you will truly enjoy and 
make a good fortune besides. 
THE PACKING HOUSE. 
Our packing house was planned and built to 
give the very best facilities for making up or- 
ders, packing plants and getting them to pur- 
chasers in the most perfect condition. It is 
42x130 feet, and each variety has its own sepa- 
•rate stall where the plants are counted and tied 
in bunches and labeled, so it is impossible to 
mix varieties. 
The atmosphere of the room is kept cold and 
damp by the floor being saturated with water 
so that in the short time used in counting 
plants and making up orders the roots never 
show the slightest dryness. The crates for 
packing are made of tough, light wood, after 
our own design so that leaves are exposed to 
air while the roots are imbedded in pure, damp 
sphagnum moss and grow while on their way 
49 
