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EXPORTING GRAPES.
Sir—Will muscatel grapes cut early in Feb- <*>
ruary and packed in boxes about nine inches
deep in good dry sawdust, and forwarded to
England by steamer, be likely to arrive there
ripe and in sound condition ? I wish to try the
fTftrimmt, and I shall be tbaakf ul for any in
formation on the subject. I «m, &?..
THOS. PHILLIPS.
Kensington, January 17, 1860.
[On this subject we have obtained informa
tionfroma vigneronwbohas been in the habit of
exporting grapes to New Zealand. He states
that the beginning of February is too
early to cat muscatels, and that they
will not ripen after they are cat, but will
shrivel up and lose their flavor. They should
be picked when nearly ripe, and packed in kiln
dried cedar sawdust. Those bunches that axe
most open should be selected, because the saw
dust can the more easily be distributed between
the fnrit. A batter keg is a good thing in which
to pack the grapes, but this most be Well filled
and the grapes squeezed Into the keg when the
head is being fised on, because they are sure to
■brink. Any airtight receptacle will do, but
the more closely packed the better the fruit will
keep. Grapes sent to New Zealand, being three
week* on the voyage, keep for two or three
weeks after they are unpacked, and with proper
care there is no reason why grapes should not
be«ucce«afaily exported to Sngiand.—Ed.]
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