THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 309 



conveniences for forcing them does exist, a few should remain in the 

 greenhouse to maintain a succession, until late in the season. At all 

 stages of growth they must be kept near the glass and have liberal 

 supplies of water at the roots. "When in the conservatory the pots 

 may be placed in saucers containing half an inch of water, and no 

 more ; the plants after they go out of bloom may, provided the 

 season is sufficiently advanced, be planted out in a bed of rich soil at 

 a distance of fifteen inches apart each way ; and then if kept free from 

 weeds and watered liberally during dry weather until they are well 

 established, they will form strong crowns for forcing the following- 

 season. Those forced early should be kept in a cold frame until the 

 early part of May, which is the earliest moment they should be fully 

 exposed to the weather. 



HINTS ON GATHERING FRUIT. 



IJOST people are disposed to gather the autumn fruits too 

 soon. They see the days shortening, they hear the trees 

 creaking in the wind, and they find the ground strewed 

 with windfalls ; and from these premises they jump at 

 the conclusion that the fruit ought to be gathered. But a 

 certain percentage of a crop may fall, from various causes, before the 

 crop is ripe. The diseased portion will lose its hold, or the wind may 

 dislodge what is sound, long before the portion which remains firm is 

 fit to gather. A rule is generally adopted by gardeners, that if the 

 pips of apples or pears are turning brown, the crop may betaken; 

 but we should rather say that a decidedly dark and settled hue of the 

 seed is a safer- criterion. As to the objection that waiting late into 

 the autumn causes a loss of the fruit by falling, it has little weight, 

 because it is by this process that the weaker and least sound fruit is 

 got rid of, while the best remains. Taking the crop too early will 

 not only injure the good fruit by causing it to shrivel, but will also 

 render frequent removals necessary in order to separate from the 

 stock the rotten ones, which would of themselves have fallen from 

 the tree if more time had been given. 



A most important matter is gathering the fruit without bruising 

 it in the slightest degree. Apples and pears bought in the market 

 are generally much specked, by which their beauty is spoiled ; and 

 most of this is occasioned by blows received both in gathering and 

 in rolling the fruit from one basket to another. This can scarcely 

 be avoided when orcharding is carried on largely; but amateur 

 gardeners cannot well give too much attention to gathering their fruit. 

 We find a coat with deep^ side-pockets better than a basket hung to 

 the ladder — the usual mode of gathering; such receptacles are quite 

 under command, and may be made to hold a good deal. 



The kind of weather during which the gathering is performed is 

 a matter of importance; The trees should be thoroughly dry, and 

 a vviudy day is- to be chosen, if possible. 



A Practical Fruit- Grower. 



