Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-05-30
IMPORTANT TO PEACH GROWERS.
Valuable Instructions and Suggestions on
Shipping Fruit.

Valuable Instructions and Suggestions
Shipping Fruit.
Mr. EDITOR The peach crop of East
Tennessee is heavy, and will soon be ready
for marketing. The early peaches can be
sold in large cities North and West, at a
good profit to shippers, and it
is reasonable to suppose that our
fruit growers will promptly take
advantage of that fact Our people have
had little or no experience in gathering and
packing peaches for shipment and as their
profits will, to great extent, depend on
careful and proper handling of the fruit, l
would suggest that you publish the follow
instructions" lately adopted by the Fruit
Growers Convention of Georgia. 1t is
the result of the practical experience of the
largest fruit growers of the South. On ap-
plication it will afford me pleasure to fur
nish full information as to best form and
size of crates and lowest rates by express
to best market I will also furnish inform
alton as to reliable houses to whom consign-
ments may be made.
N. s. Woodward,
Route Agent Southern Express Co.,
Knoxville, Tenn.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SKIPPING PEACHES.
The committee appointed at the fruit
growers convention to issue circular Civ
ing instructions as to the best method of
shipping peaches, beg to submit the follow
ing:
Peaches intended for distant market
should be carefully picked when they have
attained their growth and color, and before
they soften on the tree. This stage can be
determined by practical experience alone.
1t is important that your fruit be matured
but not decapad when it reaches its destina-
ton. Too much care cannot be exercised
in handling your peaches. Touch them as
lightly and tenderly as though
they were eggs. In fact, as mem
Der of our committee suggests, blow that
would not break an ogg, would ruin a
peach. Pick and deposit in shallow baskets,
carry but do not haul to your packing house;
pack in shallow crates holding one-third of
bushel; pack with utmost care and use
excelsior moss or some equally soft material,
in order to fill up the interstices 80 as to
make the crate as solid as possible and pre-
vent the Stats from bruising the fruit. Too
much stress cannot be laid ON having the
peaches packed closely in the box, for if
they lose from shrinkage or careless pack
ing iestling abou in transit is sure to ruin
them After the peaches are packed
as near level as possible with
the top of the box, layer of
excelsior or some sole packing material
should be spread over and the stats firmly
pressed down and nailed. Ship your best
fruit. Allow wormy decayed specimens to
remain On your farm for the hogs. Wrap
ping each peach with tissue paper on the
plan adopted by orange shippers is more of
an injury than benefit as it retards the
free circulation of air, an important item
while the peach is in transit In marking
your crates boxes be very certain to mark
them on the end. This enables those en- :
gagged in handling them to see at glance
the name of the consignee.
In conclusion, do all your work thor
oughly, from first to last. If you have had
no experience in shipping, it would be well
to call on some gentleman engaged in the
business and practically inform yourself as
to the nice little details that make up the
entire business It is worse than suicidal to
patiently work and wait for fruit to grow
and mature, and then, through ignorance or
negligence, ruin your crop.
1t is unnecessary to call the attention OF
our fruit growers to the supreme impor-
| lance of this matter. Too much attention
cannot be given to this matter, as it is one
in which great many of our people, and
our material interests are virtually con
csrned Our fruit crop, if present indica.
tons hold good, will be simply enormous
and if properly cared for and handled, il
may be made to bring in vast amount o.
revenue. Special attention is directed tc
the instructions given above, which will be
| found of incalculable value.