skets, which we
readily sold at the fancy wholesale price of one dollar per basket. In
packing them for the market we carefully reject small, poor bunches. The
bunches selected are freed from all bruised berries. The stems of the
bunches are then dipped in melted wax. After this treatment they are
packed in layers of finely cut, soft chaff, made from clean, bright,
fragrant oat straw. The chaff serves to keep the berries and clusters
well apart, and also to keep out the air, which otherwise would soon
wilt the fruit. Packed in this way the grapes reach distant markets in
perfect condition. In fact, they are the only good table grapes on the
market at that season; therefore in choice lots they will always command
fancy prices. The experiment with them has proved so successful that
next season, we shall increase the size of the vineyard to two hundred
acres.

"By way of a commencement in small fruit culture, we have fifty acres of
ground, devoted to growing a great variety of berries. They require the
work of a large number of hands during the picking season. Owing to the
perishable nature of such small fruits, we do not attempt to market them
fresh, but make them into jellies, jams, marmalades, and preserves.
These we pack in glass jars, of the various sizes demanded by the
wholesale and retail trade. In preparing and packing these goods, we use
only the best of everything. This is in line with our purpose to
establish a reputation of a high degree of excellence, for each article
put on the market under a Solaris label. By a rigid observance of this
rule, we manage to sell the products of our berry crops at a good
profit.

"When the farm books are balanced at the end of the year, we are
encouraged to find that the fifty acres of berries, has a larger credit
than any other fifty acres on the farm.

"In the line of an extension of this kind of farming, we are now
preparing for next year, with the purpose of starting a factory for
canning our output of sweet corn, green peas, beans, asparagus,
tomatoes, peaches, plums and pears. This completes my list of items
under the head of experimental farming, which Solaris now has to offer.
What do you think of it so far?"

"I think very well of it indeed! I am especially impressed with the
Mexican quinces, early grapes, and the berries. They seem to promise the
greatest success, and the largest financial returns. Taken altogether, I
think the outlook for experimental farming at