Publication Copy Deadlines & Manuscript Format

Fruit Gardener copy should reach the editor as follows:

Calendar items cover the first day of the first month of the two-month period to the last day of the second month (e.g., May 1 to June 30). It's a good idea to provide information for the first five days of the succeeding two-month period (in the example given, that would be to July 5). Since the Calendar appears on the inside cover, which is printed separate from the body, if you have a change or new information (even if beyond the deadline), contact the editor at (318) 640-4505 or fax (318) 640-5631 or e-mail: .

Manuscript Format:

Electronic submission of material is strongly preferred, but not mandatory, and may be submitted as part of e-mail text or as a file attached to e-mail addressed to , or on a 3½" computer disk accompanied by a hard copy. For non-electronic submission, please furnish typewritten copy double-spaced in Courier or other plain typeface, using a dark ribbon to facilitate scanning. Photos, slides or drawings should be sent by regular mail unless electronic transmission is agreed to by the editor. Photographs, slides or drawings submitted will be retained by the Fruit Gardener morgue unless special arrangements are made for returning them. Slides may be copied before return. Mail should be addressed to:

Ron Couch
Fruit Gardener Editor
968 Stone's Way
Pineville, LA 71360
Phone (318) 640-4505 or fax (318) 640-5631.

Here are the rules for word-processing style:

1. Set computer single space, 10 CPI or 12 pt., upper and lower case. Left justified only, not flush right, centered or justified. Set left margin 1 inch (2.5 cm, 10 characters) and right margin 3 inches (7.6 cm, 30 characters). Courier type face is preferred.
2. Center the head (upper and lower case). Skip a line and center the author's name (do NOT put "By").
3. Do NOT use any paragraph indents or any space between paragraphs. However, be sure you have a "hard return" at the end of the line before the paragraph.
4. Use one space only (not two) after the period at the end of a sentence.
5. Do NOT put any codes for italics, underscoring, bold, degree marks, or fractions. Do use capital letters where appropriate: at the beginning of sentences and proper names as well as all caps like USDA or CRFG.
6. Do NOT put in page numbers.
7. Write anything you like (handwritten) in the pargins of the hard copy if you want to be sure your desires or instructions are followed (for example, you could, if you like, circle a Latin name and put "italics" in the margin). See below for instructions if making a table.

Table Instructions

Do not try to set up tables. If you have a table, type the copy consecutively and the typesetter will arrange the material according to our column widths. Hopefully, this example of a two-column table will help. Start your copy at the left-hand margin:

Name of Fruit
Apple
Banana
Coconut
White Sapote

Source
ABC Nursery
DEF Nursery
GHI Nursery
JKL Nursery

If there's a special way you want the table to look when printed, do a quick sketch on a separate piece of paper. Or, if you want to do it on your computer, that's OK as long as the table on the disk you send follows the format shown. Of course, if you have more than two columns, just keep going, one column under the other.