THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 293 



for the purpose. la uiany gardens the accommodatioa for fruit 

 storing is very poor, and something like a general reform is much 

 needed to keep the choicer kinds of dessert apples and pears in sheds 

 where they are exposed to changes in the weather, or in places in 

 which no facilities exist for ventilation, is most undesirable, for if 

 they do not decay before they attain maturity, they will be very 

 inferior in flavour to others kept in a suitable structure. Expen- 

 sive structures are not required, and very frequently sbeds of very 

 little use may be turned into most excellent fruit rooms by fitting 

 up the interior with shelves, forming a ceiling to the roof, and 

 providing ventilators near the apex, alterations which will cost very 

 little indeed as compared with the advantages to be derived from 

 them. 



I'irst of all we will say a few words about gathering the crops ; 

 which, by the way, is a more important matter than it is usually 

 considered to be. In fact, to gather apples and pears at the right 

 moment, requires no little thought and experience to ascertain when 

 that has arrived. Bushels of fine pears are spoilt annually through 

 lack of knowledge of, or want of attention to, this important point. 

 It is a very easy matter lo gather peaches and nectarines, for they 

 are of necessity quite ripe when gatliered, but not so with late- 

 keeping fruits. Pears, for instance, if gathered before they are fit, 

 will shrivel and become tough and leathery long before they are 

 fully matured. On the other hand, if they are allowed to remain 

 upon the trees too long they seldom keep well, and those that do 

 not go " sleepy" eat woolly and flat, instead of being full of juice 

 and richly flavoured. It is impossible for me to fix any particular 

 time for gathering any of the kinds, for this depends entirely upon 

 the season, locality, and aspect. The hotter and drier the situation, 

 the sooner does the fruit attain maturity. A good rule for gathering 

 apples and pears is to notice when the stalks will part readily from 

 the tree without having to pull them hard. I believe that great 

 quantities of fruit, both apples and pears, are taken from the trees 

 before they are in a fit condition for storing ; and, it' more discrimi- 

 nation were used in selecting them, a better result would be obtained. 

 Many of our best pears seldom present the whole of their fruit 

 so as all to be in one uniform condition the same day. It would, 

 therefore, be much the better plan to extend the period of gathering 

 over several days, going first over the tree and selecting only those 

 which leave the branch perfectly easy, and repeat the same plan 

 about every third day, until the tree or trees are cleared. I do not 

 mean to say that such a plan could be carried out in large orchards, 

 but it is applicable to every garden. Again, with pears, I think 

 many do not allow their best late sorts to hang long enough on the 

 tree to attain a proper degree of maturity, and this I believe to be 

 the cause of many otherwise valuable pears being coarse-grained. 

 The second week in October is not too late for such kinds as Easter 

 Beurre, Beurre Ranee, Ne Plus Meuris, Prince Albert, and March 

 Bergamotte, if the weather is open and mild, but they must not he 

 exposed to more than two or three degrees of frost. _ All the sorts 

 also are not fit for gathering at one and the same time ; therefore 



October. 



