Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-10-22
Aancaster frltelltgellrfr.
FRIDAY EVENING. OCTOBER %, 1880.
Packing Fruit for Conveyance

The various packages of specimens which
We receive from distance, show the de-
fects of imperfect packing on one hand,
and the perfection to which it may he car
ried on the other. The essential requisite
for successful convey ance is to have the
fruit incased SO tight in the box that no
shaking or jarring will cause it to rattle.
A box Of grapes was sent us the punches
had been neatly placed in it, and some
unoccupicd space left in the box above the
fruit. In few hundred miles transit it
had been shaken Or turned over perhaps a
thousand times, or at least often enough
to reduce all the grapes into shapeless
mass of pulp. If a number Of punches or
specimens are sent, each should be wrap
ped separately with cotton or other suit
able material, SO that every jar and motion
will carry fruit and packing all together.
We received lately small box of grapes,
The punches had been placed in the bot
tom, and the space in the box completely
filled with newspaper. Here the packing
and fruit were separate, and the berries
were all more or less beaten and injured.
II the punches had been encased inside
the packing, no trouble would have occur
red In another instance. the value OF
GOOD packing was shown OH the receipt of
a few specimens of peaches from distance
Of thousand miles. Each peach was first
wrapped in few thicknesses OF soit
Oapcr: then with cotton half an inch
thick this again with paper, and the
whole placed in box with a compact lin
ing of paper. half an inch OF more thick on
each side. The fruit had doubtless had
many tumblcs in the mail bags, but it
came without any injury whatever.
Soft fruit will of course fare worse than
hard. but the latter may he easily spoiled
in packages of much size. An instance
4 half barrel of Bartlett pears were well
put up, the pressure Of the head holding
all firmly together. But single mistake
spoiled the whole; the packer placed a
handsome but soft pear among the rest in
filling, and this soon giving way OIL
the journey, and becoming shapclcss
mass, left vacancy in the barrel, loosen
ing the rest and causing all to rattle
bri,isc and spoil. There are some skilfu
cuiiivators Of fruit from whom we Occa
sionally receive specimens, which, through
good packing, always come i'll perfect con
dition.
In this connection, the premiums Offered
this year for the best packed boxes Of fruit
at COyent Garden, London, are worthy o
mention. The competing specimens were
to be delivered from distance not les;
than twenty miles. In this country of lons
distances this should be greatly extended
The first prize was awarded for box o
grapes, the box being lined with soft, dry
moss ut the bottom, covered with 4 sheet o
tissue paper; Oh this the grapes, whicl
weighed IL pounds, were placed. Th'
sides were similarly treated. Two and :
half dozen peaches were packed i'll sllal
low box, the fruit first wrapped separated!
in paper. aud then packed firmly with wad
ding. Strawberries were packed in m,'l
berry leaves, a mode adopted by all TIN
competitors. In the package Of grape
which received the second prize, the!
were tied to the sides of the box, will
tissue paper and Il layer of wadding he
meath but it strikes us this trcatmen
would not be Il guard against the tuml,
lin. over which occurs Oh railroads. TIN
second prize peaches were firmly packe'
in wadding only. We obtain this inform
alton from the Gdrdea. If prizes wer
offered in this country at our fairs for tn
best specimens of packing extra fine frui
for market, it would unquestionably b
the means of efecting important improve
mcnts. and such exhibitions would be cS
aminc,l with great interest by fruit gro"