0(1 
Practical  Hints  on  Fruit  Farmituf. 
v'lien  packed,  and  command  high  prices.”  It  would  not  he 
possible  to  treat  a large  crop  of  cherries  in  this  way,  but  the 
best  at  least  might  be  packed  in  small  (juantities  after  the 
American  method,  and  would  be  readily  saleable  in  all  the 
large  towns  in  the  country. 
That  all  fruit  should  be  carefully  graded  aiul  ]>acked  is  an 
axiom  most  frequently  neglected  in  practice.  Although  con- 
siderable advance  has  been  made  in  this  respect,  stimulated 
undoubtedly  by  the  foreigner’s  efforts  in  this  direction  and 
the  advice  of  salesmen,  there  is  room  for  further  improve- 
ment. A few  small  or  specked  apples,  or  under-sized  or 
bruised  pears,  or  plums  lacking  in  appearance  or  colour 
will  ruin  the  value  of  a whole  package,  and  fruit  thrown 
together  just  as  it  is  picked  returns  only  half  the  price  of  a 
consignment  which  is  despatched  tastefully  and  consistently. 
The  whole  year’s  labour  and  outlay  are  destroyed  by  errors 
at  the  conclusion,  and  this  is  especially  ])rominent  in  years  of 
plenty.  If  a corn  factor  buys  a sack  of  wheat  he  expects  to 
receive  grain  of  uniformity  throughout ; if  a ])urchaser  of 
any  article  in  considerable  quantities  finds  that  this  article  is 
not  throughout  up  to  sample  he  throws  up  his  bargain  ; and 
the  fruit  grower  should  bear  in  mind  that  his  customers  do  not 
want  badly  assorted  i)roduce,  nor  do  they  wish  for  large  and 
enticing  fruit  placed  above  scrubby  and  diminutive  specimens. 
It  does  not  })ay  to  mix  sand  and  sugar,  therefore  fruit  should 
be  ])acked  fairly,  yet  in  a manner  agreeable  to  the  customer’s 
eye.  Again,  the  fruit  must  be  graded,  the  choice  put  in  one 
parcel  and  the  seconds  in  another,  and  the  result  will  be  satis- 
factory to  the  producer’s  })ocket.  A grower  who  systematically 
despatches  his  fruit  uniformly,  and  in  due  order,  guins  a 
reputation  on  the  market  which  always  stands  by  him.  His 
salesmen  and  customers  confidently  take  his  goods  knowing 
that  they  may  rely  on  their  genuineness.  Fruit  should  arrive 
in  the  nearest  possible  condition  to  that  in  which  it  hung  on 
the  tree. 
Packing. 
The  })ackages  for  fruit  are  various  and  numerous,  and 
(lifter  in  some  degree  according  to  the  markets  and  districts,  a.s 
(hey  do  according  to  each  kind  of  fruit.  Early  and  late  fruit 
and  all  fruit  of  choice  kinds  should  be  despatched  in  fancy 
baskets,  punnets,  or  boxes,  and  the  more  daintily  they  are 
packed  the  better  the  return.  Choice  pears,  the  finest  cherries 
and  gages  amply  pay  for  special  treatment. 
