PackiiKj. 
.')  t 
An  attractive  and  well-sorted  consignment  of  fruit  will 
often  fetch  twice  the  amount  of  one  slovenly  and  indifferently 
packed.  Not  taking  into  account  the  choicest  fruit  which  may 
l>e  decorated  with  and  packed  in  varied  fancy  pa]>ers,  shavings, 
and  cotton  wool,  the  ordinary  blue  paper  of  commerce  is 
suitable,  but  thick('r  paper  is  required  for  apples  and  pears  to 
prevent  bruising.  Newspapers  answer  admirably  for  packing 
purposes.  Hough  grass  made  into  hay  makes  an  excellent 
covering  and  lining  for  the  baskets  ; nettles  are  also  used  where 
procurable,  and  where  the  above  are  not  available  coarse  wood- 
wool may  be  employed.  The  latter,  specially  j)repared  in 
several  qualities,  can  be  obtained  at  a reasonable  price.  It  is 
important  in  the  packing  of  choice  pears  and  apples  to  line 
the  sides  with  softer  and  finer  wood-wool  so  that  the  fruit 
may  not  be  bruised,  putting  the  coarser  description  of  wood- 
wool on  the  top  and  in  the  bottom.  On  large  fruit  farms  a 
capable  man  is  employed  to  manage  and  direct  the  picking  and 
packing  and  fully  pays  for  his  wages.  Fruit  growers  are 
frequently  urged  to  improve  their  packages,  but  there  are 
difficulties  which  have  to  be  surmounted.  First,  the  trade  is 
used  to  the  packages  now  in  vogue,  and  a buyer  can  tell  at  a 
glance  the  weight  of  the  fruit ; secondly,  there  is  a difficulty  in 
the  transit  and  return  of  frail  ]>ackages.  The  willow  baskets 
now  generally  used,  such  as  sieves,  and  half  and  quarter  sieves, 
will  stand  much  rough  handling  in  transit,  and  are  cheap  and 
more  easily  handled  than  boxes,  and  last  a long  time.  If  a pack- 
age could  be  procured  cheap  enough  to  be  sold  with  the  fruit  an 
alteration  in  packages  might  be  feasible,  but  up  to  the  present 
it  is  found  that  the  existing  system  is  the  most  satisfactory. 
Early  strawberries  and  raspberries  are  marketed  in  pun- 
nets of  1 lb.  The  main  crop  of  the  former  is  put  in  pecks  of 
12  lb.;  in  crocks  of  lb.  and  28  lb.  for  culinary  uses ; and  in 
tubs  of  56  lb.  for  jam-making.  Raspberries  are  also  sent  in 
crocks  of  7 lb.  and  1-1  lb.,  as  well  as  in  tubs  of  28  lb.  and 
56  lb.  Pears  and  apples  are  packed  in  sieves  or  half-sieves, 
and  cherries  in  half-sieves.  Gooseberries  and  currants  arq 
likewise  consigned  in  half-sieves.  Some  apples,  especially 
when  sent  long  distances,  are  now  despatched  in  tubs  of  about 
3 bushels,  following  the  American  fashion.  The  fruit  should 
be  placed  closely  together  to  prevent  rubbing  and  bruising. 
The  tub  is  preferable  to  the  basket  owing  to  its  smooth  sides, 
and  if  smaller  tubs  holding  a bushel  were  to  be  obtained  in  any 
quantity  they  would  become  very  popular.  In  the  Midlands 
