24 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Joiy 14, 1887.. 
from the base to the top, so that the first bunches prac¬ 
tically lie in a sloping direction instead of being upright. 
The bunches may afterwards be placed close together, 
and when there is room only for the last row of hunches 
the basket may have a sharp tap on the end where the 
first bunches were laid. It can now be ascertained what 
vacant space will be left at the bottom after the last row 
of bunches is placed in, and this should be filled behind 
the paper with packing material, so that the point of the 
bunches will fit tightly. Any corner or vacant space in 
the basket where the Grapes do not fill it exactly should 
be made good with packing material, so that no movement 
can take place when the lid is closed. A sheet of paper 
over the top will be all that is needed, provided the basket 
is full; if not, over the paper place cotton wool or any 
other material at hand. If the baskets have only to be 
conveyed a short distance all this care is not needed, but 
for a long journey too much attention cannot be paid to 
filling the basket, so that no movement of the lruit can 
take place. 
Peaches are more easily packed than Grapes. For 
market purposes they should be gathered just before they 
are ripe. For private use they have to be gathered in 
most cases when fit to be placed on the table, and under 
these circumstances packing has to be done even more 
carefully. Perhaps the worst Peach of all to pack is 
Noblesse. If gathered before it is ripe for the market it 
never possesses that beautiful golden colour that it attains 
if left on the tree until it is ripe. When ripe it is almost 
impossible to pack the fruits without their being damaged ; 
in fact, it is a difficult matter to gather them from the 
tree without bruising them. It is one of the most delicious 
Peaches that can be grown for home consumption if 
gathered from the tree and placed on the table at once, 
but for packing purposes it is unsuitable. Amongst 
Nectarines Lord Napier is difficult to remove from the 
tree if allowed to remain until it is ripe. It clings even 
when thoroughly ripe closer than any Peach or Nectarine 
known to me. When needed for packing it should be 
gathered before it is ripe, and placed in the full sun for a 
few hours before removal to the fruit room. It can then 
be packed without injury, but the great difficulty is to 
remove them from the tree. For these fruits boxes or 
tins should be provided 3 to 4 inches deep—boxes of both 
depths are advisable. A layer of cotton wool should be 
placed at the base, then a sheet of tissue paper for the 
fruit to rest upon. In the case of Peaches we take a strip 
of cotton wool and place it in tissue paper, and bind it 
once round each fruit and place them closely together. 
The tissue paper is not needed in the case of Nectarines, 
for the wool will not give trouble by sticking to them as is 
the case with the rough skin of the Peach. The ‘small 
corners between the fruit can be filled with cotton wool, 
but this is not needed if the fruit is packed closely toge¬ 
ther. Over the fruit place a sheet of tissue paper, and 
then one of cotton wool, to ensure the box being full when 
the lid is placed on. If this is attended to the fruits will 
never move, and will be found in as good condition when 
removed as when they were placed in the box. 
Figs are rather bad to pack, especially if they are 
allowed to hang until they are thoroughly ripe. These 
should be placed in shallow boxes 2 or 3 inches deep, 
according to the size of the fruit. A layer of wool 
should be placed at the base, then tissue paper, and each 
fruit in a soft Vine leaf with the stalk of the leaf upper¬ 
most. If placed firmly together, a few Vine leaves 
over the top to fill the box will ensure their travelling 
safely. 
Melons are amongst the easiest of fruits to pack, and, 
may be placed in baskets or boxes. Each of the fruits 
should be rolled singly in cotton wool and then placed 
closely together amongst paper shavings, nothing is- 
better. Dry moss or even hay can be used and will answer 
the same purpose. The only caution needed is to- 
preserve the stalk and fill the box or basket containing; 
them so that they cannot move. 
Plums and Cherries are not difficult to pack to ensure- 
their travelling well and arriving in good condition. For 
dessert purposes they can be laid closely together with 
a thin layer of cotton wool at the base, covered with a 
few soft Vine leaves. The stacks of the latter may be 
left about 1 inch long and the box made full the same as 
advised for other fruits. Two layers of these fruits may 
with safety be packed in the same box by placing between 
the layers a few soft leaves. For cooking or market 
purposes small hampers can be packed full without any 
injury, provided the fruit has not been allowed to become 
too ripe. 
To ensure Strawberries arriving in a fresh condition, 
as if only just removed from the plants, requires con¬ 
siderable care. The flesh is soft and easily bruised, 
although some travel much better than others. No fruit 
arrives in the market in a worse condition than these- 
I allude especially to those gathered out of doors- 
Hundreds of tons find their way into the market with 
anything but an inviting appearance. It may not pay to 
spend more time and care in packing the fruit, but I. 
cannot help thinking that a better price could he 
obtained for perfectly fresh unbruised fruits than for 
that which has the appearance of having been partially 
made into jam. To insure good travelling varieties, such, 
as Sir Joseph Paxton, arriving in good condition not more 
than two or three layers at the most should be packed in, 
each box with leaves between the layers. We have 
recently been packing on this principle, and were informed 
that the fruit came out in excellent condition. With 
forced fruits greater care certainly is taken, not only for 
private use, but with those sent to the market. Our 
plan for years has been to place one layer in shallow 
trays or boxes with cotton wool at the base, then a layer 
of leaves, each fruit being placed in a soft Strawberry 
or Lime leaf, the latter we prefer when they can be had 
the box is then filled in the same way. We have packed 
them with the stalks down and with them up, and 
although the fruits travel equally well either way, we are- 
inclined to prefer the latter, for the fruit is more readily 
removed when wanted. For years we packed in shallow 
tins that held several pounds of fruit, but prefer small 
narrow boxes that will hold from 1 or 2 lbs. Boxes that 
hold about 1 lb. are much preferred early in the season 
when the fruit is sent to the market. This season we 
have packed a quantity of fruit in small shallow boxes 
without placing each one in a single leaf for travelling 
any distance; this method is not advisable, but for short 
distances they can be packed much more quickly— 
which is a consideration when growing for market—and 
without injury to the fruit, especially all those varieties 
that have moderately firm flesh.—W m. Bardney. 
THE GARDENERS’ ORPHAN FUND. 
GENERAL MEETING. 
This Fund is now established, the rules, subject to a few small altera¬ 
tions, haring been adopted, and the various officers elected at the first 
general meeting held at South Kensington on Tuesday last. It was in every 
way a most successful meeting, and it was the unanimous opmion of those 
present that in Sir Julian Goldsmid, Bart., M.P., the Orphan Fund has 
secured a President of marked ability, great business aptitude, and in strong 
sympathy with the object of its promoters. Amongst the supporters pre- 
