G. W. Graham, Carbondale, Illinois.
Hamilton & Russel, Champaign, Illinois.
Alfred Russell & Co., Chicago, Illinois.
John Buck, Cobden, Illinois.
Crandall & Coulter, Cobden, Illinois.
H. A. Dubois, Cobden, Illinois.

W. P. Mesler & Co., Cobden, Illinois.
T. II. C. Free, Dix, Illinois.
T. J. Eddleman, DuQuoin, Illinois.
A. H. Bersels, Farina, Illinois.
Vivkrey Bros., Iola, Illinois.

S A. McCullough, Irvington, Illinois.
W. A. Jenkinson, Jacksonville, Illinois.
R. T. Shipley, Jonesboro, Illinois.
E. G. Mendenhall, Kinmundy, Illinois.
Wm. Goodwin, Makanda, Illinois.
W. J. Casper, New Burnside, Illinois.
H. K. Vickroy, Normal, Illinois.
J. A. Tanner, Pana, Illinois.
C. H. Jenner, Parkersburgh, Illinois.
F. M. Norton, Pomona, Illinois.
Ira Coe, Quincy, Illinois.

W. E. Stewart, Sandoval, Illinois.
Johnson & Castle, Tonti, Illinois.
W. P. Minnich, Villa Ridge, Illinois.
Z. C. Jennings, Walnut Hill, Illinois.
J. M. Luther, West Salem, Illinois.

J. G. Michel & Son, West Salem, Illinois.

A. Pixley, West Salem, Illinois.

P. Rothrock, West Salem, Illinois.

Indianapolis Basket Co., Indianapolis, Indiana.

Heath-Morris Co., New Albany, Indiana.

Ernest Walker, New Albany, Indiana.

George Franke, 112 & 114 S. Eutaw St., Baltimore, Maryland. Maryland Veneer Mfg. Co., Baltimore, Maryland.

Hall Bros., Pocomoke City, Maryland.

Schoolfield, Polk & Co., Pocomoke City, Maryland.
J. Robinson & Bro., Sharpstown, Maryland.
Colby Hinckly Co., Benton Harbor, Michigan.
Detroit Paper Package Co., Detroit, Michigan.
R. M. Kellogg, Ionia, Michigan.

Gorham Bros., Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
Wells-Higman Co., St. Joseph, Michigan.
R. T. Pierce & Co., South Haven, Michigan.
G. C. Garbrance, Albany, N. Y.

James Stephens & Sons, Albany, N. Y.

Baker & Freer, Brighton, N. Y.

Owen Stoddard, Bustin, N. Y.

Stoddard & Johnson Basket Co., Busti, N. Y.

C. V. Beebe, Cassadaga, N. Y.
French & Co., Fredonia, N. Y.

M. A. Pressler, Highland, N. Y.
Wilcox & Feeter, Highland, N. Y.

Whitney Basket Co.. Marlboro, N. Y.

A. D. Relyea, New Paltz, N. Y.

Mott Transporting-Package Fruit-Growers Mfg. Co., 120 Warren St., New York City.

A. F. Young & Co., 209 Duane St., New York City.
Sherman & Brown, North Collins, N. Y.

George W. Baker, Oswego, N. Y.

T. C. Aavis Basket Co., Oxford, N. Y.

S. L. Pratt, Penn Yan, N. Y.

Diamond Paper Box Co., Rochester, N. Y.

Disbrow Mfg. Co., Rochester, N. Y.

Rochester Basket Co., Rochester, N. Y.

B. J. Chase, Sodus, N. Y.

Samuel C. Crandall, Westfield, N. Y.

West Webster Basket Co., West Webster, N. Y.

W. Pickett, Andover, Ohio.

Fruit Box Co., Berlin Heights, Ohio.

Cincinnati Specialty Mfg., 70 W. 3rd St., Cincinnati, Ohio.

Diamond Basket Co., Coshocton, Ohio.

Gorham Bros., Euclid, Ohio.

J. A. Bennett, Ravenna, Ohio.
G. T. Musser, Rutland, Ohio.

Wright Bros.. Saybrook, Ohio.

Robinson Basket Co., Willoughby, Ohio.

James T. Robinson, Willoughby, Ohio.

South Side Mfg. Co., Petersburg, Virginia.

Portsmouth Basket Works, Portsmouth, Virginia.
Rardolph Paper Box Co., Richmond, Virgina.

Virginia Mfg. Co., Suffolk, Virginia.

All packages smaller than a half peck should usually be shipped in crates. It is customary to have crates with slat sides and an abundance of openings in order to insure complete ventilation, but if the fruits are firm and dry when they are picked and are then reduced to a low temperature, they can be shipped in unventilated crates generally with better results. The shriveling and shrinkage of the fruits will be less in the tight crates and decay will ordinarily be less also. These crates should generally be gift crates and are

made out of light split stuff the same as baskets are. The baskets are often provided with wire bales, bolding about five pounds of grapes, and eight baskets, in two tiers, comprise a crate. There are many styles of crates of equal merit. Crates which are designed to be returned to the grower are generally heavy and made of sawed stuff, and they are provided with hinges and clasps. It is unquestionably true that the time is rapidly coming when all the better grades and better qualities of fruits will be put up in special gift packages; and the time cannot be far distant when pasteboard boxes will be used to some extent. One of the most marked results of the recent advancement and competition in the manufacture of products is the packing of single articles in tasty boxes. Boots and shoes, for example, were shipped loose in large cases a few years ago, while now in all of the better grades, every pair is boxed by itself. In other words, the product itself is not only a finished article, but it is packed in a dainty and finished way, and the same thing must come to be true of many of the better kinds of agricultural products.

In very fanev fruits, like the best dessert pears, and even some of the largest and finest strawberries, it is often profitable to ship in eases, something like these used for eggs, in which each individual fruit has a compartment or receptacle of its own. If, in addition, the fruit is carefully wrapped, the very finest types of packing will result.

To one who has not followed the market closely, all these suggestions will seem to be expensive and unprofitable; and this is certainly true of everything but the best quality of fruits. The ordinary run of goods will not bear the expense of much extra care in the handling and marketing; and that is the kind of fruit which it does not pay to grow. One can not make a study of the market without soon coming to feel that the package and the packing cut an exceedingly important figures in the sales. The package really advertises the fruit more than the fruit advertises itself; and it is a well-known business principle that an article which is first-class will stand very heavy advertising.

A word may be expected in respect to the exact methods of handling fruit in the field. It is only in rare cases that fruit should be sent to the market in the packages in which the pickers place it; that is, it will need to be sorted from these packages into others, and this sorting should be done in a cool shed or packing room. In the picking of small fruits, various kinds of trays or stands are used. In strawberries, it is important that these stands should have legs so that when the package is set down it will not crush the berries, and neither will it be so likely to tip over. A plate shows stands which will hold six one-quart boxes. These are handy for grapes or for any

35--7--96

kinds of berry fruits as well. While another shows a different type of berry stand, which is largely used in parts of New York for the picking of raspberries and blackberries. This is a stand, also, which holds six one-quart boxes.

In the picking of tree fruits, it is ordinarily best to use a basket and not a bag, for, in spite of all one can do, the fruit is bruised when it is thrown into a bag which is slung over the shoulder. In the picking of peaches, it is customary to pick in something like a Climax basket, or, better still, in the old-fashioned tall, round-top peck baskets, such as are standards in New Jersey and other places. These baskets are held at about one's middle by dropping them into a hoop which is held upon the person by a strap running over the shoulder and under one arm. This allows the picker the free use of both hands and obviates the necessity of his being obliged to stretch and to stoop to deposit the fruit after he has picked it. The baskets are filled about level full, all the fruits which are ripe enough for picking being placed in indiscriminately; the basket is then set in the shade alongside the tree from which the fruit was taken, and at intervals a wagon or cart collects the baskets and takes them to the packing room where the fruit is sorted, graded and packed. In the picking of apples, the best method is ordinarily to use a half bushel, round bottom, splint (not woven) basket which has a swinging handle. If this basket is lined on the inside with thick cloth or burlaps, it will answer the purpose all the better. This basket is provided with a strong wire hook that can be hung upon a limb, so that the picker has both hands free.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.

Much has been said during the past few years about the shipping of fruit through pools or unions. Pooling is very often necessary where