October  15,  1898. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURFj  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
381 
GRADING  APPLES  FOR  MARKET. 
The  necetsity  of  properly  grading  Apples  by  picking  out  the 
undfsired,  imperfect,  or  damaged  fruits,  and  selling  them  separately,  has 
not  been  neglected  in  the  many  useful  lectures  and  advice  which  have 
lately  been  tendered  to  fruit  growers  ;  but  I  think  it  has  hardly  been 
explained  sufficiently.  Market  gardeners  understand  it,  but  farmers 
seem  not  to  take  enough  trouble  about  it,  though  perhaps  the  very  first 
thing  required  for  all  such  produce  is  that  the  bulk  should  be  thoroughly 
even,  according  to  sample — that  the  consignment  should  be  trustworthy, 
and  of  as  nearly  the  same  quality  throughout  as  possible. 
It  is  said  that  a  certain  egg  merchant  graded  his  goods  into  four  classes, 
with  prices  to  correspond  : — 1,  New-laid  eggs.  2,  Fresh  eggs.  3,  Eggs. 
4,  For  electioneering  purposes  only.  Now  it  is  plain  that  the  meanest 
of  all  these  classes  was  not  No.  4,  which  was  honest  enough,  but  No.  3, 
in  which  there  were  possibilities  (a  trifle  remote)  of  No.  1  quality,  but 
strong  probabilities  of  a  large  preponderance  of  quality  No.  4. 
In  the  same  way  Apples  might  be  graded  : — 1,  Large  sound  Apples. 
2,  Small  sound  Apples.  3,  Apples.  4,  Windfalls,  sometimes  almost  as 
suitable  for  “electioneering  purposes  ’’  as  No.  4  eggs.  The  point  is,  that 
if  sellers  will  not  grade  and  select  their  Apples  they  will  be  "  Apples  ” 
only,  almost  as  difficult  to  sell  as  “  Eggs,”  and  realising  little  more  than 
No.  3  price. — W.  R.  Raillem. 
CIMICIFUGA  SPICATA. 
This,  “  A.  B.,”  is  similar  to  C.  racemosa  in  general  form,  the  flower 
stems  being  several  feet  in  height,  and  bearing  the  small  white  flowers 
closely  packed  on  lateral  and  terminal  branches.  Being  late  in  flower¬ 
ing,  these  Cimicifugas  form  conspicuous  objects  in  the  borders  during 
August  and  early  in  September,  and  might  advantageously  receive  the 
attention  of  hardy  flower  lovers.  Ordinary  garden  soils  suit  them  very 
well,  and  where  large  clumps  have  been  formed  the  plants  are  really 
valuable  additions  to  the  list  of  effective  hardy  plants.  Fig.  70  repre¬ 
sents  a  spike  of  this  charming  plant. 
BRITISH  FRUIT. 
“  Gathebixg,  Storing,  and  Profitable  Utilisation  of  Apples 
AND  Pears.” 
On  Saturday,  under  the  chairmanship  of  Philip  Crowley,  Esq,,  a 
fairly  large  audience  assembled  to  hear  a  paper  with  the  above  title., 
read  by  Mr.  John  Watkins,  Hereford.  The  essayist  dealt  thoroughly  with 
his  subject,  commencing  with  methods  of  gathering.  The  proper  time 
for  this  operation  depended  much  on  the  variety  and  state  of  the  market. 
Early  culinary  Apples  are  most  profitable  if  gathered  and  placed  in  the 
market  before  they  are  thoroughly  ripe,  whereas  early  dessert  kinds 
should  be  allowed  to  ripen  on  the  trees  before  they  are  gathered,  as  they 
are  apt  to  lose  value  if  taken  off  too  soon.  In  years  of  large  crops  the 
fruit  should  be  thinned  and  marketed  in  several  consignments.  Not 
only  is  this  better  for  the  welfare  of  the  trees,  but  the  fruits  that  are 
left  on  the  trees  have  a  better  chance  of  fiuishing  than  would  be  the 
case  if  none  were  removed. 
Referring  to  midseason  Apples,  if  large  consignments  are  expected 
later  on  from  America  it  is  best  to  market  them  direct  from  the  trees  ; 
if,  on  the  other  band,  the  foreign  crop  is  scarce,  then  it  pays  better  to 
store  them,  as  they  will  fetch  higher  prices  as  the  season  advances. 
Last  year  few  Apples  were  sent  from  America,  therefore  it  paid  those 
best  who  stored  their  midseason  fruits.  There  were  prospects  of  heavy 
imports  from  America  this  year,  and  it  is  stated  that  from  Canada 
alone  no  less  than  1,500,000  barrels  are  expected,  so  that  in  all  pro¬ 
bability  it  will  pay  best  to  sell  early.  With  regard  to  late  keeping 
varieties,  these  should  be  left  on  the  trees  as  long  as  possible,  as  late 
Apples  will  not  keep  if  they  are  gathered  before  they  are  ripe.  In  hot 
seasons  they  often  ripen  prematurely,  the  result  being  that  they  become 
very  grubby.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  gather  and  market  wind-fallen  fruit 
frequently,  leaving  all  others  till  they  are  ripe.  Most  people,  said  Mr. 
Watkins,  held  that  Apples  should  be  quite  dry  when  picked  ;  experience 
has,  however,  taught  him  that  they  are  better  if  gathered  a  little  damp, 
though  he  did  not  suppose  many  would  agree  with  him  on  this  point, 
i  Turning  to  early  Pears  he  recommended  gathering  these  before  they 
are  ripe,  but  late  varieties  should  be  left  on  the  trees  till  quite  ripe.  In 
gathering  fruit  the  greatest  care  is  necessary,  and  each  one  should  be 
carefully  placed  in  the  baskets  with  the  hand,  and  not  on  any  account 
be  dropped  in.  Specimen  fruits,  both  Apples  and  Pears,  should  be 
gathered  into  shallow  baskets,  and  the  smaller  fruits  will  stand  rolling 
gently,  so  long  as  they  are  not  dropped.  In  gathering  fruit  from  dwarf 
trees  no  ladder  is  necessary,  but  for  tall  standards  and  old  trees  a  light 
implement  should  be  used.  For  gathering  fruit  from  tall  standards  he 
was  strongly  in  favour  of  the  arrangement  which  was  figured  in  the 
Journal  of  Horticulture  Cpape  137),  consisting  of  three  light  ladders, 
fastened  together  at  the  top  with  an  iron  ring,  and  for  which  illustration 
he  and  other  growers  were  greatly  indebted. 
In  order  to  make  most  money  of  the  fruit,  continued  the  essayist,  it 
was  sometimes  necessary  to  store  it,  and  on  the  construction  of  the  room 
for  the  purpose  depended  very  much  the  success  of  the  operation.  For 
storing  high-class  fruit  a  proper  room,  fitted  with  shelves,  is  necessary  ; 
this  should  be  formed  so  that  a  light  uniform  temperature  can  be 
maintained.  The  room  should  be  fitted  with  double  walls,  windows. 
and  doors,  as  the  cavity  will  prevent  intrusion  of  frost.  In  severe 
weather  a  temperature  a  little  above,  rather  than  below,  freezing  point 
is  requisite,  these  remarks  applying  to  a  room  built  above  ground,  and 
the  best  model  he  knew  of  one  of  this  sort  was  at  Messrs.  Bunyard 
and  Co.  s  Nursery  at  Maidstone,  This  had  a  thatched  roof,  was  htted 
with  shelves,  and  he  believed  cost  about  £30.  The  splendid  collection 
of  fruit  staged  by  the  firm  at  the  last  Temp'e  show  had  been  preserved 
in  this  room.  His  own  store-room  had  previously  been  used  as  a  silo, 
and  was  built  half-underground.  He  did  not  consider  it  one  of  the  best, 
but  was  always  able  to  keep  specimens  for  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  s  show,  which  was  held  in  June.  Good  ventilation  was  necessary, 
and  fruit  would  keep  well  in  heaps  about  12  or  18  inches  high  ;  in  fact 
last  January  he  had  50  tons  that  had  been  stored  in  this  way.  Apples 
might  also  be  stored  in  barrels,  if  kept  at  a  low  temperature  in  an  airy 
position.  If  Apples  get  frozen  they  should  not  be  disturbed  till 
thoroughly  thawed,  because  if  they  are  touched  when  frozen  they  will 
decay.  A  good  system  of  storing  was  that  adopted  by  Mr.  Orr  of 
Bedford,  and  with  a  few  improvements,  including  a  reduction  in  price. 
PIG.  70.— CIMICIFUGA  SPICATA. 
he  thought  it  would  be  largely  adopted.  Pears  do  not  require  quite  the 
same  treatment  in  storing  as  Apples,  as  the  atmosphere  should  be  a  little 
higher  and  drier. 
In  the  distribution  and  profitable  utilisation  of  fruit  different  markets 
have  to  be  studied,  as  in  one  quality  is  not  thought  so  much  of  as  colour, 
and  vice  versa.  It  was  no  good  sending  inferior  fruits  to  Covent  Garden 
Market,  and ,  for  instance,  Cox’s  Orange  Pippin  sells  well  in  London, 
while  in  Manchester  the  demand  is  not  so  great,  probably  because  it  is 
not  so  well  known.  The  most  important  point  connected  with  the  sale 
of  fruit  was  grading,  and  on  this  depended  the  future  of  the  English 
fruit  trade.  Foreigners,  continued  Mr.  Watkins,  do  not  grow  better 
fruit  than  us,  but  it  is  properly  graded,  and  the  best  only  sent  to  this 
country,  while  seconds  are  used  for  other  purposes  at  home.  There  was 
a  market  for  first-class  fruits  and  a  market  for  second,  but  it  was  a 
suicidal  policy  sending  all  to  the  market  mixed  together.  Each  can  be 
utilised,  and  the  fruits  should  be  graded  into  firsts,  seconds  and  thirds, 
while  in  some  cases  a  fourth  may  be  added.  He  had  known  fine  graded 
specimens  containing  a  dezen  fruits  in  a  box  sold  for  Is.  Gd.  and  5i.  per 
box,  and  ungraded  fruit  sold  at  that  price  per  cwt.  The  best  fruits 
should  be  tastefully  packed  and  sent  to  high  class  markets,  the  seconds 
sell  well  at  lower  prices  in  manufacturing  districts,  and  thirds  may  be 
used  for  drying  or  cider  making.  Large  fruits  from  young  trees  do  not 
make  such  good  cider,  as  small  samples,  probably  because  there  was 
