The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-10-16

ter Here they are lifted by the stem,
the LARGEST and handsomest put by
tbem5Ives for topping, then the
sound and good berries, tit for snip
hing put in their own baskets, leaving
room m ! after being gently shaken down
for the finishing layer. The over
ripe and imperfect fruit, as fast as it
is come upon, is put into the third
basket, designed for home market,
and the fourth basket receives the
waste. TO make these four classes
we have found it convenient to set
out in line four empty baskets and
assign class to each in regular order
There is less likelihood of mistake if
one adheres to fixed and simple or
der. The table must stand IN good
strong light, for serious imperfections
are not any too easy to discover.
The berry, as it is lifted and carried
toward its basket is twirled so as to
present to view both sides of it. This
extreme care is needful only for the
principal class, for the slight imper-
fections of the topping berries will be
discovered by the topper, who places
each berry best side up with care, the
stem and leaves being placed partly
underneath. The third and fourth
classes may be scooped up with less
care, but berry intended for ship
ment should not be thrown in without
a GOOD look at both sides of il, for
one partly decayed berry will cause
those that touch it to become mouldy,
and so half a dozen bad berries will
greatly depreciate the value of a bas-
Eet. The basket, when finished,
should present a rounded and some
what heaped appearance, being, say
half an inch higher at the centre than
at the edges, where the berries must
not rise much above the basket. 1t
requires with us about half as many
hands in the packing house to 'assort
as in the field to pick, and of course
the very best help possible must be
here. The price of berries
must determine the nicely and time
allowable in asserting. Ordinary
work can be done by the handful, as
snap-beans are assorted-say eight or
ten berries at once spread on the hand,
then inverted and laid on the other.
TOMATOES.
Tomatoes also require nioe honAa-
ling and extra care in asserting. The
most essential thing for them is gath
ering at just the right stage-a mat
ter in which experience alone can
sufficiently instruct one. A tomato
will ripen in transit, or at least in its
package, if it is only fully grove
when picked. Careless hands will
often pick them when not more than
half grown. 1t is a nice matter to
catch them when they are just ready
to show color but do not yet begin
to showit. Early in the season they
may be a little colored before pack
ing if they are sound and firm, but
late IN the season they should be
perfectly green.
Moss is peculiarly well adaptedto
tomatoes, many of which are liable
to become soft on the way, and I'M
less protected by the cushion of moss,
to be crushed by hard neighbor.
Tomato and vegetable crates
should hold full bushel, for the
freight is no more thaD ON three
fourths that amount, while the mar
ket price corresponds to the actual
size. Tomato crates we leave open
on broad side for convenience in
packing. For snap beans we leave
open a narrow side for the same rea.
son.
sNAP-BEANS AND CUCUMBERS
are to be gathered when just out of
the infantile stage-that is, as soon
as they have attained to plumpness.
Picked earlier, as for home mar
ket, they wilt and shrivel so as to get
through in bad order. Both should
stand several hours to get a lit
tie wilted before being nailed up, or
the boxes will not be full when they
start, to say nothing of their condi-
ton on reaching their destination.
Cucumbers are to be examined care
fully to see that the borer has not
pierced them. Only well shaped and
perfect specimens should be sent.
The overgrown and the yellow, and
those with pointed tips must be left
behind. Beans must be of the round