180 



THE NEW FRUIT GATHERER. 



machine, which, after a fair trial, we can- 

 not but think quite a prize to all amateurs of 

 fruit. It is the Patent Fruit Gatherer, 

 invented and brought into use this season 

 by Messrs. Sedgwick and Brooks, of Pough- 

 keepsie, N. Y. 



The instrument is at once simple, highly 

 ingenious, and well adapted to the end in 

 view. It consists of a set of converging 

 springs made of strong brass Avire, at the 

 extremity of which is a sliding open wire 

 circle. To this circle or loop, is affixed a 

 long hose of common glazed cotton. The 

 whole apparatus is shown in the accompa- 

 nying sketch, Fig. 51. 



The apparatus is affixed to the end of 

 a strong reed pole, such as is commonly 

 used in fishing. This enables the ope- 

 rator to reach specimens on the most dis- 

 tant branches of a fruit tree. Holding the 

 pole in one hand, and directing the end 



The whole length of the pole is about 

 eighteen or twenty feet. This would be 

 unnecessarily long for many trees. A joint 

 is therefore made at half length, by which 



Fig. 52. The Fruit Gatherer open. 



of the instrument to the fruit, the circular 

 mouth receives it, and with a slight pull of 

 the other hand on the hose, the springs close 

 as in fig. 52, the fruit separates from the 

 branch, and slides gently down the hose in- 

 to the basket. If it is a heavy specimen, 

 like a Beurre Diel pear, or a Gloria Mundi 

 apple, that hand of the operator which is 

 upon the hose may give it a slight check to 

 break its fall as it passes down. 



Fig. 53. The Fruit Gatherer dosed. 



it is easily separated into two parts, and half, 

 or the whole length used. An ingenious 

 ring-loop, in the hose, enables one, in a mo- 

 ment, to separate it also in two parts, corres- 

 ponding to the length of the pole, or as 

 quickly unite the whole again. 



The great advantage which this new 

 fruit-gatherer has over the old ones, consists 

 in the hose. This conveys the fruit to the 

 basket as fast as one person can pick it. In 

 the old instruments, the hose was only a 

 small bag or net at the end of the pole, so that 

 thrice as much time was consumed in awk- 

 wardly reversing the pole, to take out each 

 fruit, as was expended in actually pluck- 

 ing it. 



The best proof, perhaps, that we can offer 

 our readers of the value of the instrument, 

 s, that although it is only a few weeks 

 since Messrs. Sedgwick and Brooks have 

 offered it to the public, there is already as 

 much demand for it as they can supply, with 

 a number of men constantly employed in its 

 manufacture.* 



* Tlicrc are two sizes made. The larger one is bes: foi 

 apples and pears ; the smaller one for plums, apricots and othei 

 delicate fruits. The price is from fl .50 to $2.00, and the 

 agent in New- York is A. B. Allen, Agricultural Warehouse, 

 187 Water-street. 



