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the AMERICAN GARDEN. 
NEOTARINES. 
Nectarines requii-e about the same culture 
and general management as Peaches Tho 
principal difference ■ between them is thnt 
the former are entirely smooth, as much so 
as Plums. Tho greatest dilllculty about their 
cultivation is that they are so peculiarly 
liable to the attacks of the ^ 
unless one is v 
12S 
ivilling 
con- 
eurculio, and 
- to give unremitting 
attention to them during the season this 
pest abounds, it is useless to attempt the 
cultivation of Nectarines. 
But the gi-eatest value of this fruit 
sists in its adaptation for 
forcing imder glass; and 
for training in espaliers 
on the back wall of cold 
graperies, it is specially 
suited. For gi’owing in 
pots the Nectarine is a 
great favorite, as it will 
bear very young. If prop¬ 
erly managed, a tree 
growing in a twelve or 
fifteen inch pot will, 
when three years old, 
produce several dozens 
of fruit. For a dinner- 
table decoration, nothing 
prettier and more apipro- 
priate can be imagined 
than such a tree in full 
bearing, its branches 
bending low under their 
weight of luscious fruit, 
and inviting the guests 
to help themselves to the 
tempting dessert thus 
offered. 
Let the fruit be uniform 
shako to tlio top. 
throughout. 
For this reason. Peaches, Pears, Apples, 
etc., should be assorted. The small ones 
will bring as high a price as the mixed lot, 
while the large ones will bring a higher 
price Cai-e must be taken in pieldng and 
handling all fruits easily bruised, as wherever 
thepro bruised they will rot, and then rot 
all in contact with them. 
When you have, thus carefully handled 
your fruit, and have honestly packed it in 
honest measures, put your name and addi-ess 
MAEKETIFG FRUITS 
The marketing of a 
crop is just as important 
a matter as the produc¬ 
tion of it. As profit is 
the margin between cost 
of production and sum 
obtained, smallness of 
sum realized will reduce 
profit as effectually as 
largeness of cost of pro¬ 
duction. The farmer and 
stock-raiser know this, 
and take advantage of 
moans to increase the 
salability of theii’ prod¬ 
ucts ; but I find that too 
often the fruit-grower' 
overlooks this important 
point. 
The fruit-grower la¬ 
bors under this disad¬ 
vantage : He must, to 
a considerable extent, 
create a demand, a mar¬ 
ket, for his product; that is, often to realize 
a profitable price in a sure market, he must 
establish for his fruits a reputation that will 
create a demand for them among consumers. 
In establishing this reputation, the first ppiuf 
to be observed is perfect honesty in packing. 
The measures must be of full size. A quart 
must be two full pints, and a peek eight 
such quarts. Boxes must not have deceitful 
bottoms, or barrels be two inches short or 
without bulge. Then the fruit must 
honestly packed in these honest 
ures. By no means allow the nicest to 
be 
meaS' 
THE NECTARINE. 
upon every package in bold-face type. If 
you are ashamed to own the packages, you 
would better quit fi'uit-raising; you will 
never establish a profitable market. But 
with yom' name on the right sort of a pack¬ 
age, holding the right sort of fri^it, you will; 
for consumers will want what you have, and 
know where to get it. 
Do not consign to half a dozen different 
commission men. Buyers want fruit always 
of an even grade with which to fill their con¬ 
tracts ; your fruit will grade more evenly than 
a combination from half a dozen different 
sources; therefore, they will want to buy 
your entire lot. But if you have consigned 
to half a dozen different men, you will bo 
made to compete with yourself; for the 
buyer will so manage matters as to bring all 
down to tho lowest price of any. If you 
consign to but one man, and ho knows it, he 
will hold your fruit at a .stiff price; for he 
knows the buyer cannot purchase it at a less 
price elsewhere. 
For tho same reason, association of tho 
fruit-growers of a neighborhood is beneficial 
to all; for the fruit of a neighborhood will 
grade evenly, and if all 
the fruit-gi’owers in one 
neighborhood wiil com¬ 
bine to establish a good 
reputation for their col¬ 
lective production, and 
ship to but one commis¬ 
sion merchant, they will 
realize a higher price 
than they would other¬ 
wise do. They will also 
get better facilities and 
rates for transportation, 
for the railroads give 
better rates to large ship¬ 
pers than to small ones; 
and all taken from the 
cost of transportation is 
so much added to the 
profits. 
While it is dishonest 
to hide the defects in 
fruits by putting only 
the best where they can 
be seen, it is perfectly 
right to better the ap¬ 
pearance of fruit and 
make it as attractive as 
possible. Retail buyers 
look more at the outside 
of the fruit than the in¬ 
side ; that is, they con¬ 
sider appearance always, 
but rarely quality. Of 
course, those who buy 
to sell to them must do 
the same. Fruit-gi-owers 
could learn a valuable 
lesson of the fruit-stand 
keepers on the street 
corners of our cities. As 
they open up their stands 
in the morning, they rub 
every Apple and Pear till 
it glistens. Send your 
fruit to market clean and 
in clean packages. Little 
items which I dare not 
take space to mention, 
but which will occur to 
your mind, add to the 
attractiveness of ' finiit 
and enhance its price. 
Even the color of the netting used to cover 
berries should bo considered; have it of a 
color complementary to that of the fruit- 
Bo.xes and crates should be neat and clean. 
Packages should bo of as good material as 
can be afforded. They should be firm, that 
the fruit may not be bruised in transporta¬ 
tion. The bottom should be thick enough to 
make the package solid. 
Fruit should be picked as soon as in mar¬ 
ketable condition. Every day’s delay after 
this period diminishes its value. 
John M. Stahl. 
