October 6, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 313 
the uppermost layer. It is from this practice that the 
very expressive word “ topper ” originated as denoting 
anything of exceptional merit; and though the term is 
perhaps not found in all dictionaries it is much more 
than a provincialism, as it is widely used and well 
understood over the greater part of the country. In 
packing Mushrooms, then, do not forget the “toppers,” 
Fig. 52.—Pnnnets. 
but let the work when done appear as represented in the 
figures on pages 216, 217. Provided the whole produce 
is saleable, as ic ought to be, and must be if a vendor 
is to maintain a position, there is no more deception 
in arranging the specimens neatly and attractively than 
there is dressing a horse for the fair, or legs of mutton 
or poultry for the market. But all must be done fairly 
and honestly. The man who fails in this respect by 
hiding unsaleable produce will sooner or later be in¬ 
evitably shunned—unable to dispose of whatever he has 
to sell, and serve him right. The best of garden pro¬ 
duce may be seriously deteriorated, because made more 
or less unsightly by rough usage and defective packing. 
In fact, it may be stated without hesitation that hun¬ 
dreds of pounds are lost annually by want of care in 
this respect, and vendors are disappointed while pur¬ 
chasers are dissatisfied. It becomes necessary, there¬ 
fore, to emphasise the importance of placing whatever 
is good in the market in the best manner, including 
Mushrooms, as by this course purchasers are attracted, 
whereas by the opposite habit of careless preparation 
and arrangement they are certainly repelled. 
PACKING THE PUNNETS. 
After the Mushrooms are papered neatly and secured 
with raffia, which is the best and cheapest tying ma¬ 
terial, the punnets are packed in light yet sufficiently 
strong boxes, such as anyone can make who can use 
a saw, hammer, and nails, appearance here being of 
little moment. Neither is it material that the boxes 
be of a particular size; still, it may be submitted that 
those of the following dimensions are found convenient 
for moving and arranging in vans without loss of space 
•—3 feet 2 inches long, 1 foot 11 inches wide, and 1 foot 
4 inches deep, an inch batten being nailed across the 
inside of each end 8 inches from the bottom. This is 
for supporting a floor or shelf after the bottom of the 
box has been occupied with punnets. From fifty-six 
to sixty punnets can be accommodated in what may 
be termed the two layers in a box of this kind; and a 
little clean hay being used if needed for making the 
punnets firm, with a few strips of deal tacked across 
the top for protection, the produce may be sent any 
reasonable distance without fear of injury. Salesmen 
in London are glad to dispose of good Mushrooms, and 
the leading greengrocers in the large provincial cities 
and towns can rarely obtain sufficient to meet the 
demands that already exist, while if the supply were 
greater a further demand would without doubt be 
created. But if by chance the supply should be ex¬ 
cessive, of which the probability is extremely remote, 
even then the successful cultivator can not only ensure 
himself against loss, but can realise a fair profit by the 
manufacture of ketchup—pure, honest, genuine, un¬ 
adulterated ketchup. This is always in demand, and it 
is not generally known that Mushroom-growing well 
conducted on the system described is lucrative, even if 
the whole produce is what may be termed “ melted 
down ” into this favourite condiment. 
CONCLUSION. 
In the preparation of this treatise, which in its 
serial form now terminates, endeavour has been made 
to give the several details of culture by which alone 
success can be achieved. Trivial some points may 
appear to the uninitiated, but the experienced cul¬ 
tivator will recognise then* importance. It is by 
attention to small matters that great results are ac¬ 
complished, and the advice that was given to the 
writer many years ago by one of the greatest and best 
Fig. 63.—Packing JIushrooms for market. 
of men in the ranks of horticulture, and found useful, 
indeed most valuable, may not inappropriately bo 
given to others, as, to the young especially, it may 
prove useful too. “ In whatever you do,” said Mr. 
G. W. Johnson, the founder and late Co-Editor of the 
Journal of Horticulture , “ either in writing or working, 
do not ignore the simplicities that bear on your object, 
