■  February  11,  19C4.  JOUnXAL  OF  HORTICULTURE 
- - - ^ - 
sufficient  fine  wood  wool  evenly  spread  to  prevent  injury  to  the 
lower  fruits,  and  form  a  firm  bed  for  the  upper  ones  to  rest 
upon.  From  one  dozen  to  four  dozens  of  tlie  best  dessert 
Apples,  Pears,  or  Plums  may  be  so  packed  in  one  box  with 
safety  for  a  long  journey.  Peaches,  Nectarines,  and  Apricots 
must  always  be  in  single  layers,  and  demand  the  utmost  care. 
Strawberries  can  be  packed  in  from  31b  to  Gib  of  selected 
fruits*,  but  the  first-named  quantity  is  the  best  for  the  finest 
fruit,  and  the  smallest  of  the  railway  boxe.s  just  holds  that 
amount  conveniently,  allowing  for  a  little  packing  material  at 
the  top  and  bottom.  The  same  size  box  will  hold  41b  of  best 
Cherries,  3lb  of  Jlaspberries  without  their  stalks,  31b  Ped 
Currants  (clo.sely  packed),  or  41b  of  Black  Currants;  but  the 
last  two  may  be  packed  in  Gib  to  121b  lots  if  not  too  ripe — the 
smaller  quantities  are,  however,  preferable  and  safer.  The 
finest  early  Strawberries  should  be  packed  in  lib  puniiets,  which 
may  be  either  deep  or  shallow,  round-plaited  chip  punnets,  or 
•square  ones  (with  or  without  handles).  The  round  punnets  are 
be.st  packed  in  trays  with  lids,  and  tho.se  generally  emiiloyed 
will  take  six  punnets.  They  are  only  used  for  the  earliest  and 
choicest  fruits,  when  prices  are  good.  Crates  can  be  employed 
to  hold  .several  tsiich  trays,  tho.se  large  enough  for  six  being  a 
convenient  size  and  weight. 
The  square  punnets  are  packed  more  closely  together  ou 
•sliding  shelves,  or  in  trays  like  the  others  in  crates.  Grapes 
are  packed  in  shallow  or  handle  baskets,  the  points  of  the 
bunches  towards  the  centre  and  the  stalks  secured  to  the  sides 
or  rims,  the  top  of  the  ba.sket  being  covered  with  stout  paper 
tied  round  the  rim,  or  some  handle-baskets  are  fitted  with  lids. 
The  .sides  and  ba.se  of  the  baskets  are  .sometimes  padded,  but 
they  are  then  always  covered  with  a  soft,  glazed  paper.  The 
great  point  is  to  avoid  rubbing  the  surfaces  of  the  berries  and 
spoiling  the  “  bloom.” 
In  every  ca.se,  besides  ensuring  the  security  of  the  finest 
fruit,  it  should  be  displayed  to  the  best  advantage,  and  if  the 
grade  is  uniform,  as  advised,  this  can  be  done  quite  hone.stly 
by  the  aid  of  a  little  coloured  or  white  ti.s'sue  paper  to  fold 
over  the  sides  when  the  box  is  opened,  and  by  arranging  the 
fruits  with  the  coloured  side  uppermost. 
The  question  of  branding  or  labelling  niinst  be  considered, 
for  where  good  fruit  only  is  being  dealt  with,  the  u.se  of  the 
words  “Seconds”  and  “Thirds”  i.s'  apt  to  give  rise  to  a  mi.s- 
conception  -that  i.s  unfairly  again.st  the  seller’s  intere.st.  For 
the  finest  samples  “Extra,”  “Select,”  or  “Special”  may  be 
employed.  Some  mark  the  next  grade  Al.  and  the  next  No.  1, 
or  if  the  letter  X  is  employed,  three  would  be  used  for  the  fir.st 
grade,  two  for  the  second,  and  one  for  the  third.  Another 
method  is  to  term  the  best  Selected  No.  1,  and  the  other  grades 
Selected  No.  2  and  Selected  No.  3.  Something  of  this  kind  is 
needed  to  indicate  that  the  lower  qualities  are  not  refuse  but 
properly  graded  fruits.  A  grower  should  adopt  a  uniform 
system,  and  adhere  to  it,  so  that  his  brand  may  become  known 
and  have  a  market  value,  and  every  package  ought  to  have  the 
name  of  the  variety  and  quality  boldly  printed  on  the  label. 
Growers  who  intend  to  make  a  sub.stantial  business,  and  who 
deal  honestly  in  the  best  produce,  should  have  their  own  names 
on  the  packages.  This  is  sometimes  objected  to  in  a  market, 
but  if  a  grower  cannot  make  hi.s  business  through  the  ordinary 
channels  he  mmst  try  fresh  ones.  It  is  be.st  to  endeavour  to 
supply  the  shopkeepers,  or  to  develop  a  trade  with  private 
customer.s,  and  send  direct  to  them.  The  reduced  rates  at 
owner’s  risk  on  the  railways,  and  the  parcels  post,  afford  ample 
means  for  enterprising  men  to  work  up  a  business  in  small 
packages  of  choice  fruits  it  they  take  the  trouble  to  do  so,  either 
by  advertising,  by  circulars,  or  by  trade  letters. 
In  packing  vegetables  most  of  the  general  advice  already 
given  .should  be  .serviceable  ;  but  those  are  dispo.sed  of  in  larger 
(piantities  and  therefore  recpiire  a  different  clas.s  of  packages. 
Bags  of  various  kinds  and  sizes*,  with  large  light  open  baskets 
or  crates;  are  more  extfunsively  employed  than  boxes.  The 
majority  of  roots  are  sent  in  bags,  but  the  be.st  samples  of 
Turnip.s,  Carrots,  i^c.,  that  are  bunched  are  sent  in  crates, 
while  Radishes  and  small  roots  are  sent  in  baskets.  Green 
vegetables,  like  Cabbage.s,  are  best  in  crates,  as  also  are  Broccoli 
and  Cauliflowers,  but  the  earliest  and  be.st  of  the  last-named 
are  often  packed  in  flat  baskets  or  hampers  and  pay  for  every 
care.  The  best  samples  of  salading,  such  as  Lettuces,  are 
usually  packed  in  hampers,  the  rougher  grade  in  crates.  Peas 
and  Beans  are  packed  in  ba.skets,  hmshels,  or  half-sieves,  but, 
as  previou.sly  noted.  Peas  when  shelled  are  forwarded  in  small 
l»oxes  containing  about  three  quai  ts  each.  Half-sieves  are  also 
used  for  Brussels  Sprouts,  pickling  Onioms,  and  other  small 
vegetal)les.  The  earlie.st  Rhubarb  is  consigned  in  hampei-s; 
the  latter  often  goes  to  market  in  bundles  loaded  direct  into  the 
vans,  or  packed  in  crates,  as  also  is  Celery.  For  all  early  and 
high  quality  vegetables  shallow  baskets  or  boxes  are  u.seful. 
Cimumbers,'  Tomatoes,  iMushroom.s,  and  many  others  can  be 
conveniently  .sent  in  this  way,  and  where  periodical  consign¬ 
ments  of  general  vegetables  are  sent  to  private  customers  this 
is  the  best  method.  It  is  necessary  to  pack  firmly,  as  with 
fruits,  and  where  green  or  perishable  vegetables  have  to  travel 
AXD  COTTAGE  GARDEXER. 
117 
a  long  distance  it  is  de.^irable  to  gather  th-.un  as  .shortly  biffore 
packing  as  po.-sible,  preferably  in  the  early  morning  when  quite 
fresh,  but  not  when  drenched  with  rain.  1  hey  should  not  lx* 
allowed  to  r('main  exposed  to  sun  or  wind  for  ^ome  hours  before 
they  are  sent  off,  as  is  sometimes  the  case,  to  the  obvnous  dis¬ 
advantage  of  the  .seller.  Defective  or  decaying  samples  should 
on  no  account  be  admitted  into  the  packag('s  ;  tlu'  uniformity 
so  strongly  i*ecommended  as  regards  fruits  should  be  main¬ 
tained,  and  it  will  be  found  that  the  reputation  gained  is  a 
satisfactoi-y  reward  for  the  extra  care. 
The  Board  of  Agriculture  and  Fisheries  would  be  glad  if  re¬ 
cipients  of  this  leaflet  would  make  it  known  to  others  interested 
in  the  subject.  Copies  may  be  obtained  free  of  charge  and  post 
free  on  application  to  the  Secretary,  Board  of  Agrictilture  and 
Fisheries,  4,  Whitehall  Place,  London,  S.W.  Letters  of  applica¬ 
tion  so  addressed  need  not  be  .stamped. 
— - •  ^  C  ^  % - 
Plant  Notes. 
Begonias  of  the  tuberous  section,  both  double  and  single* 
now  play  such  a  prominent  part  in  the  decoration  of  the  green¬ 
house,  as  well  as  the  flower-beds,  that  early  stejis  should  l)e 
taken  to  ensure  a  full  stock  of  .strong  plants  annually.  'I'he 
strains  from  the  be.st  seedsmen  nowadays  are  of  .so  good  a 
quality  that  it  i.s  really  not  necessary  for  ordinary  growth  to 
keep  a  named  collection.  Seed  sown  now  in  pans  of  sandy  soil  ^ 
placed  under  sheets  of  glass,  or  in'  a  propagating  ca.se  in  a 
temperature  of  not  less  than  GOdeg,  will  quickly  germinate  and 
form  nice  plants  if  the  after  treatment  is  correct. 
Where  so  many  per.^ons  fail  to  ensure  a  regular  batch  of 
plants  from  each  sowing  is  the  neglect  in  maintaining  the  .soil 
in  a  sufficiently  moist  state.  Directly  the  plants  are  seen 
above  the  soil  remove  the  glas.s  covering  from  the  seed-jians, 
giving  the  tiny  plants  light  and  air,  and  thus  from  the  start 
induce  them  to  groiv  .stocky.  Great  care  is  necessary  in  supply¬ 
ing  them  with  water — too  much  will  induce  them  to  rot,  while 
too  little  checks  freedom  of  growth.  Directly  they  are  largo 
enough  to  handle,  prick  them  off  into  other  pans  or  thickly 
in  pots,  keeping  them  in  the  same  temperature,  and  as  near 
to  the  glass  as  po.ssible.  — E.  M. 
Amaryllis  Belladonna. 
The  best  flowered  form  of  this  beautiful  bulbous  plant  is  the 
Kew  variety,  whose  deeply  flushed  rosy  pcilanth  is  such  as  ev('ry- 
bocly  admires.  The  Kew  plapts  are  cultivated  by  the  .side  wails 
of  various  conservatories,  quite  in  the  open  air,  the  soil  being  a 
rich,  well-drained,  sandy  loam.  The  scapes  appear  about  August 
and  September.  The  flowers  are  more  numerous  and  the  scape  is 
twice  as  long  as  that  found  in  the  type.  It  is  said  to  be  the 
result  of  crossing  A.  Belladonna  with  Brunsvigia  Josephinse. 
The  Belladonna  Lily  and  its  varieties  are  well  worth  .some  care, 
and  a  sheltered,  warmish  nook  in  any  open  air  border  might 
very  profitably  be  devoted  to  them.  Riant  Gin  deep  in  autumn 
or  spring. 
Kalosanthes  coccinea. 
Known  also  as  C'rassula  coccinea  and  Rochea  coccinea,  this 
beautiful  plant,  is  largely  cultivated  by  marketmen,  and  dwai-f 
plants  in  .j-in  pobs,  may  freciuently  be  seen  being  hawked  about 
in  suburban  streets.  The  plants  flower  the  second  season  from 
the  cutting,  these,  by  the  way,  being  taken  from  upper  parts  of 
tlie  growtlis.  They  root  be'^t  if  exposed  for  a  couple  of  days  to 
the  sun  prior  to  inserting  in  the  pots.  A  light  fibrous,  loamy 
compost  kept  well  open  is  what  they  like;  and  the  watering 
must  be  carefully  performed.  Gut  the  plants  back  after  flower¬ 
ing,  and  grow  on  in  a  cool  greenhouse. 
Reinwardtia  trigyna. 
Although  the  accommodation  for  winter  flowering  plants  at 
the  Edinburgh  Royal  Botanic  Gardens  is  not  very  extensive,  an 
effort  .seems  alway.s  made  to  make  the  most  of  it  by  growing  and 
showing  flowers  to  render  the  centre  house  of  the  range  attractive. 
Among'^the  plants  in  bloom  recently  was  a  nice  group  of  Rcin- 
wardtia  trigyna,  which  reminded  one  of  the  comparatively  few 
private  gardens  in  which  it  is  grown.  This  is,  to  say  the  least  of 
it,  unfortunate,  as  a  plant  or  two  would  be  very  ornamental  in 
winter,  a  time  when  the  clear  yellow  flowers  are  alwa3ss  accept¬ 
able.  It  has  the  merit  of  being  amenable  to  being  cut  back  when 
it  becomes  overgrown,  although  it  must  be  admitted  that  the.s(' 
cut  back  plants  are  not  so  good  as  younger  ones.  The  latter  arc* 
usually  grown  from  cuttings,  which  ai*e  struck  fromAjiril  onward*, 
in  a  close  propagating  frame.  The  tops  of  the  shoots  make  ilu* 
best  cuttings.  Tho.se  who  can  secure  seeds  will,  however,  obtain 
better  plants,  as  the  seedling.s  are  more  vigorous  and  healthy. 
They  are  also  less  likely  at  fir.st  to  fall  a  prey  to  the  attacks  of 
red  "spider,  which  is  very  troublesome  to  the  Rc'inwardtia.  .D- 
the  blooming  time  a  temperature  of  .’3.'5deg  or  a  little  more  will 
be  found  to  suit  the  Reinwardtia. — Solent. 
