THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
243 
Strawberries and Raspberries. — For these fruits, as far as I 
am aware, there has been no means adopted for their preservation 
for any length of time. I would recommend that the fruit that has 
begun to change colour (which some will do before others) should 
be gathered, and placed in a hothouse to accelerate the ripening ; 
this will afford a succession. Fruits gathered in this manner and 
surrounded with silk paper, and then packed in tin cases, thoroughly 
air-tight, with a little charcoal sprinkled amongst them, will be 
found to keep for some time ; the later sorts of these fruits should 
only be preserved. The flavour of these and other fruits of this 
nature, which have been preserved in this manner, will not be so 
tine as those that are allowed to remain on the plants and ripened by 
the sun. However, fruits preserved in this way will be found useful 
for dessert, when those in the open air are finished. 
AValntjts, Chestnuts, Filberts, etc., should not be gathered 
until they are quite ripe, and fall of their accord from the trees. It 
will often happen, however, in late seasons, that the winter will be 
far advanced, especially before chestnuts drop, therefore they should 
be gathered by means of ladders ; but on no account should the 
trees be beaten with sticks, which is a very common practice, but 
cannot be too severely condemned. 
After they are gathered they should be divested of their outer 
shells, and gently dried, after which they may be packed in boxes 
or casks, in fine dry sand or charcoal, in alternate layers, and placed 
in a dry cellar. The casks or boxes should be elevated on bricks, to 
prevent rats and mice from destroying them, which will be the 
case if they once gain admittance. 
Packing for Carriage. — This is also an important point to be 
attended to, especially when over-ripe fruits have to be sent to any 
distance. In this, as in preserving and gathering, different methods 
have been adopted, and a great many of them without success. 
Baskets, for packing fruits, should on no account be used if it can 
be avoided. I would recommend two boxes, to be of different 
sizes, with false bottoms, and secured with a lock, and two keys — 
t he one to be kept by the person who packs the fruit, and the other 
by the person who unpacks it. Boxes made of inch-deal have been 
recommended by some. These will answer the purpose equally well, 
if they have been made thoroughly air and water-tight. In packing 
fruits of all descriptions, the heaviest should always be laid on the 
bottom, and the more delicate on the top, each fruit being previously 
surrounded with clean linen or fine paper, and packed amongst bran, 
beech, or hazel flowers ; fine powdered charcoal, will answer equally 
well, if it has been thoroughly dried previous to being used. Whatever 
material has been made use of for packing, when the fruit is taken 
out of it, should be properly cleaned, and laid in some cool cellar 
until required for use, first taking all bruised ones out and throwing 
them away ; for, if they are left, they will impart a musty flavour 
to the others. 
For packing grapes, I would recommend bran, thoroughly dried, 
first putting in a layer of bran, then grapes, shaking a little amongst 
the berries, which will fill up any spaces between them, and likewise 
August. 
