The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-05-26
4olne and garm.
Picking. Packing and Shipping
Fruit and Vegetables.

1fcAAnS, 1deklHS AM ouippinS
Fruit and Vegetables.
As general rule, fruit for SHIPMENT
to distant markets must be picked, not
shaken or dubbed, from the trees or
vines, as soon as we'll developed, but be-
| fore what is termed dead ripe" This
condition is one hard to describe, but a
little experience soon enables the care
ful picker to distinguish at glance the
specimens that have attained the proper
condition for picking.
Ibis Is one important point in fruit
gathering that receives too little care
from the experienced fruit grower.
IL Is well known that all the fruit on
the same tree or vine does not attain the
same degree Of maturity at the same
time. Fer this reason it becomes neces
sary to 90 over the trees every day, at
least every second day, being careful 20
select only, aud all the specimens that
have attained the proper degree of ripe
ness.
This, by many, il considered too much
| trouble, but it is the only way TO obtain
| your fruit in proper condition for ship
ment to distant market.
| The fruit must also be handled With
ing it. To FAY that il should be han died
with the same care that you would han
die eggs, will best convey to YOU what
| mean by careful in this connection,
| Tor | often fluid it difficult TO get men 10
understand just how careful they should
| be.
Next il importance to handling the
/ fruit with care, is to keep it as cool as
/ f1Ez1I l,tp from 40 II u faEon frntp
the tree until it reaches the market
/ The baskets ar crates into which the
fruit is packed should always be carried
10 cool packing house, or shed. as soon
as filled, and never allowed to stand for
even five minutes in the hot sun. | am
| well aware that vast amounts of good
fruit are annually ruined by simply al
! lowing it 10 stand long enough in the
hot sun to be heated through, which al
once starts fermentation in the Juices of
| the fruit, and soon spoils it.
These suggestions apply in a general
way to all kinds of fruits aud vegetables
that are usually slipped by express Oh
account of their perishable nature.
| The package used should always be
the most popular in the market you in
tend to patronize, and, if you can help
it never send your products to market
in second hand boxes; but always in
bright new packages, well and neatly
made. Every fruit grower should have
a packing house, and storage room
enough in which to have made and
stored a good supply of such packages
rs he intends to use, in anticipation Of
the busy season.
The one third bushel box, now in such
universal use, | think is the best pack
ing yet invented for peaches, tomatoes,
early apples, plums, etc, and also an
swers nicely for many kinds of vege-
tables, such as peas, beans, etc.
In the packing house employ only the
most careful workmen you can procure.
Women are well suited for this part of
the work, being naturally more careful
and usually quicker than men.
| Never pack frnit while wet with rain
or dew, or heated by the suns rays, but
allow it first to become dry or cool, as
the case may be. Then pack your box
nea; and tight, allowing no over ripe or
inferior specimens to go into even TIE
middle of il.
Never pack box of fruit that you
would be ashamed to have a customer
open and examine in your presence.
Always use some kind of brand, and
have it put on each package you send
out. Jt costs hut little and has MANY
advantages; for instance, when your
shipment arrives at the commission
house with several other consignments
it is easily separated from them, and if
your fruit is superior TO the rest, it can
| be sold for better price. Buyers, also
soon learn to look Tor a brand that
proves uniformly good, and will pay
n ore for it than one they are not ac
quainted with. Goods packed to deceive
seldom bear the mark of the packer,
and goods without a brand are usually
looked upon as such.
| After having taken so much care 10
have your iruiL picked and packed Just
right, don't allow little earelessness in
conveying it. to the market, or expres 5
Office, spoil all your careful work.
| Do not throw it carelessly into a lum-
Der wagon Without springs 10 keep il
from being bruised, or cover to keep
off the hot sun and dust, and at the
eleventh hour rush off "pell melP' over
a rough road TO the express office, get
ling there barely in time to catch The
train, with your fruit all to be billed
| ohNS hNu ~ IIdIl IL uOZtH
different POINTS. Have your packages
all plainly marked with stencil (nearly
all commission houses furnish them
with out charge, before leaving home !;
also make Il memorandum of the NUM-
Der and kind of packages consigned to
each point as well as to whom consigned.
Take them to the express office in a
spring wagon, not forgetting TO have
some kind OF cover to keep off the hot
sun and dust. Be sure you start in time
to get there at least one hour before
train time, thus giving the express men
plenty OF time to properly bill your
goods and handle them carefully in
transferring them from the office to the
express car. We often have Just cause
to complain of the rough way in which
express men handle our fruit, but very
frequently We fail to give them time to
handle it in any other way, and many
OF them do not realize the amount of
damage they do in handling it so rough
ly. A few kind suggestions, accom-
panied with an occasional basket of
choice fruit for "the boys" ! would
suggest as remedy, at least, for this
great evil.
The above article, taken from t. {
Texas Farm aud Ranch, contains many
practical and valuable suggestions which
our fruit and vegetable shippers will dc
well to heed.