The route of shipment must of course be largely determined by the shipper, though • when it is possible to choose between several routes he is able to get rates which are moderate. We are of the opinion that those who raise produce for market do not give the question of transportation rates the attention they should. Our friends of the tree, plant and seed trades combine with each other to get the most favorable rates. They are constantly fighting the transportation companies and are usually able to get liberal concessions. The inter-state law, from which so much was hoped, has given the shipper little relief. We rarely hear of fruit-growers and farmers seeking for reduced transportation rates; yet goodness knows they need low rates about as bad as any other class of people! We are aware that there are many difficulties in the way of accomplishing this purpose, but neverthe less it might be done were concentrated efforts made and persistently kept up.

When we consider that large quantities of produce of all kinds are grown within 20 miles of New York city, it may be readily seen that the grower who can cart his goods to the market has the advantage in more ways than one over the producer who depends on the several transportation companies. It is no unusual sight to find long rows of market wagons drawn up on the streets which lead to the large markets of New York as early as 7 o'clock in the evening, though we cannot see why it is necessary to reach the market so early, as one has little chance to sell to dealers much before 2 or 3 o'clock in the morning. Of course large quantities of this produce is brought in early to fill orders already given, for we see many of the wholesale dealers getting in and arranging their stock early in the evening for the trade of the next day.

The grower of fruits and vegetables distant from New York would be able to learn many valuable lessons if he could see the methods of grading and packing done by the growers of Long Island, and those parts of New York state and New Jersey sufficiently near to the city to carry in the produce by wagon. The inexperienced would see readily why their own products bring so little. Let us step up to one of these wagons. The driver, a sleepy Swede, looks at us as we lift the blankets from off his produce but says nothing. See the celery, blanched to the very tips of the leaves. The turnips look as if they had been washed. We examine a half-barrel of potatoes and are willing to swear that there is not an inch of difference in diameter between them. Next to this small barrel stands another filled with smaller tubers, yet all of these are near of a size. They are what are termed seconds, yet so uniform in size are they that they will bring a good price. Now an application of our moral: Suppose these potatoes had been mixed, would there have been the opportunity to obtain so good a price for the lot ? It is easy to • ________ see the advantage of proper sorting. The entire load is thus carefully graded and, when in bunches, nicely tied.

Time was consumed in doing this, but it was well paid for by the additional price received.

Many of these growers near New York occupy small plots of ground for which they pay an enormous rental, and every inch of it must be made to pay something. After they have grown the crop they fully understand that the real success of their work depends on marketing it in such a manner as to bring the highest price. They also understand thoroughly that an attractive, well blanched bunch of celery will bring a better price than a bunch half-green and dirty. They know too that the people who buy produce in the metropolitan markets to sell again thoroughly understand what the consumer requires, and he also knows that the consumer in such a city as New York well knows the difference between good and bad packing of desirable or undesirable products.

Illiterate, rough and coarse, these people understand thoroughly their work. If our more intelligent growers of market products would use their intelligence to better advantage the results of their work would be much more satisfactory. In our next paper we shall invite you to go with us and see how a famous fruit and vegetable grower handles his produce for this great market. K.

(to be continued).