The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-07-03
How To Prepare Fruits For
Market.

An important part of our product. is
our fruit, aud we depend largely on San
Francisco for market for it. 1t is q
branch of productive industry that is
capable Of enormous development in
Oregon and Washington. and if prop.
erly managed may become one of the
most profitabl For fruits both green
and dried there is sure market. if only
the fruits are put up in attractive
style. On packing fruit so as to have
1t appear to the best advantage the San
Francisco Bulletin. in recent issue,
presents some excellent suggestions 1t
says:
Honest asserting and honest packing
are the first elements of success. A
fruit package must average the same
throughout, in quality, and its weight
must be up to the standard.
New hands will often, from desire
to prove themselves alive to their en-
ployer's interests, pack dishonest boxes
unless closely watched. and 90 ruin his
reputation. One of the best known fruit
raisers of Alameda county informs us
that last season q few man of his pack
ed . dozen boxes of small apples,
facing them with large ones, and the
fraud, which would have injured the
sale of his fruit for moIths. was only
discovered by accident. The personal
attention of the proprietor is always
necessary in these matters.
The size of these packages is An i'm
portant question. Fruit of second or
third quality are best marketed In the
largest boxes which custom allows
that is. for apples and pears, holding
about 80 or so pounds; for peaches, 80
pounds; for plu.ns and cherries. %
poands; for berries. 10 pounds. But,
In the case of hrst-class. we'll l-grown
and carefully assorted fruit. tho real
profit lies in small and choice pack
ages which shall attract the eyes and
purses of the wealthy people.
Cherries, for instance, have been abun-
dant this year. and at the height Of tho
season those marketed in old fashion
plum boxes wholesaled at from &c to
&c. Next, light boxes. holding about
90 tbs. went off much better and now
cases with 10 b drawers are coming in
TO use. The cherry is such O favorit1
that hardly any skill in its display will
be wasted. Pack nicely in the bottom,
then fill in tightly, and reverse the lid.
so that when the box is opened no
stem appears. Small baskets. neatly
packed, are desirable for the retail
trade.
The same use of small packages and
careful chosen fruit will apply to the
best eating plums. to choice pears (as
the Seckle), TO little. red Christmas
apples, and to figs, table grapes. and
all the small fruits. Our orchsrdists
must cater to the tastes and whims of
a populace who eat largely with their
eyes. We love beauty of form, of
color. of arrangement. We will pay
Tor what we get, but it must be just
right.
The bulk of the fruit, however, gath
cred at the hight of the season. NUT
come in ordinary sized packages, and
sere forethought and care will pay.
The fruit must be gathered carefully,
by experienced hands. A dent In the
surface, no matter how small, wili oe
a black surface in few days. To
handle like eggs is a faint caution IN
the case of choice peaches or winter
apples. In asserting three. even four
sizes will be necessary.
The distance from market deter
mines the time at which to gather
fruit SO as TO have il arrive in per
fection. Keep out all that is overr'pe'
and do not gather any too green,
Never mix different kinds in the same
box. unless you are merely selling
windfalls, which seldom pay expenses
The art of packing box OF apples or
pears so ~ to make it show at its oest