The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-09-04
Meeting eff the Potomac Fruit Grow
ers' Association.

ers' Association.
This association met Tuesday, at the
board of trade rooms, 9. Gillingham in the
chair.
The attendance was unusually large, and
the display of fruit was exceedingly fine !;
not exeelled in quality in any season.
P. H. Troth, j R. Sherwood, N. Van
Vost, N. S. Wright, j. G. Rosche and
Isaac Snowden, OF Virginia, were mani
mously elected to membership.
The secretary thought some preparation
should be made for the annual exhibition,
either in the country or city. fr
Judge Gray thought as the time was SO
short this year, and the American pomo-
logical society and horticultural society of
Pennsylvania meeting this month, that a
country session would be more acceptable
1t wasI therefore, moved and carried
that the association meet at Collingwood,
Va, on-the last Friday in September, the
26th inst. The friends of the association
are invited to attend this meeting, to be
held in the form of picnic. The steamer
Arrow will leave her wharf at 5:45 a. M,
10 a. m. and 4:30 p. M, returning at and
6p. M, from Collingwood fare fifty
cents. The occasion should be borne in
mind. ase- saf, ,s.igs
Mrs. Margaret Hetzel kindly offered to
provide any members Of the association
with the Georgia fruit crate who would
make use Of that for conveying fruit to the
American genealogical society exhibition
to be held at Boston, Mass, on the 10th
inst. Her address is at Clifton, Va, and
members or others may write for such
crates as they desire, stating what kind of
fruit they intend to carry.
A letter was read from A. jackson, esq.,,
in reference to certain injurious grub,
and it was referred to ProiessorJ Rrainerd
for examination and report at the next
meeting.
Major John III. King, of Washington,
read a paper upon gathering and packing
fruits, as follows:
THE SECRET OF PROFIT IN FRUIT
GROWING.
WASHINGTON, September 2.
Nc. President and Members Of the Potomac Fruit
Groioers' Society
Misunderstanding to our own
observations of the markets in this city q
considerable amount of the fruits and
vegetables presented would meet with q
more ready sale, and command much
higher rates, if more care was adopted in
their gathering, judcious selection and
proper packing; in fact, SO lgnorantly Or
carelessly handled are they that fine
specimens are seriously affected both in
appearance and value, often changing
hands for less than half the price they
would otherwise have sold for if more care
and management had been adopted.
Regular gardeners, or those who make a
business of marketing fruits and vegeta-
bles, soon learn what is necessary and
govern themselves accordingly.
BUTT Is by those who are just entering
into, or only occasionally send in some
special crop, or chance surplus of what
is grown in excess, that the greatest loss is
experienced for want of this knowledge.
Dealers in this city complain Of the care
less and slOvenly manner in which our
fruit and vegetable crops are gathered,
packed and presented in the markets. and
remark that they could better afford to
pay double the price for them they now
do if presented in a better condition.
The appearance and value of fruit de-
pend as much upon when and how it is
gathered as to the style it is packed and
carried, that it may be sent to the table or
the market in sound slightly and proper
condition. Very few frnitsgrowers seem
to appreciate to its full extent this part of
their business, a. knowledge Of which is
one OF the two secrets, in fact, of success
full fruit-growing tthe other being the pro-
per cultivation of the plant to make fruit
growing profitable.
The price obtainedis governed quite as
much by the looks and style of putting
up, as by the quality of the article itsel /.
The neatness of the containing basket,
box or package is of as much moment as
is uniform size andqualty necessary. All
fruits pay to be assorted into two or more
grades. A few scattering large berries,
apples or pears in a quart or bushel do
not assist in advancing the price, but if
carefully packed by themselves will bring
the highest price, and often induce the
dealer to buy the small fruit in order to-
get the large.
Many of the old growers have a specific
reputation in this respect, and their produce
has fixed value, and when the reputation
Is good they enjoy decided advantage over
others in the ready sale they find. There
are two things to be taken into consideration
before the fruit can be handled with sue
Tho frat 10 fha,