THE JTLOKAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 241 



ON GATHERING FRUITS. 



BT A SUBSCRIBER. 



JHIS is a most important point to be attended to ; for 

 upon the manner in which fruits are gathered depends 

 the success of their keeping, in whatever manner they 

 may be preserved. No fruits should be gathered when 

 dew is upon them, or in dull, cloudy weather. On this 

 important point every gardener agrees. I cannot too severely con- 

 demn the mode of gathering the more common fruits, as apples and 

 pears, at one sweep ; although a common practice even with the best 

 of gardeners, it is a bad one. All fruits should be gathered as they 

 arrive at maturity, and that in the most careful manner. It, how- 

 ever, often happens, even in the most congenial climates and 

 situations, that a portion of the fruit of the same tree, and even of 

 the same branch, will arrive at maturity some time before the others, 

 the ripe portion should be gathered immediately, and carried care- 

 fully to the fruit-room, which should be cool and dry. Here they 

 may be laid upon the shelves, or tables, as the case may be, and 

 covered over with canvas, to prevent evaporation, and to keep the 

 dust from settling upon tbem whilst the remainder is gathered, 

 when the whole should then be immediately packed for preservation. 

 There have been many plans recommended for gathering the more 

 delicate fruits, of which I entirely disapprove. What I would re- 

 commend is to gather them by the hand in as careful a manner as 

 possible, and lay them gently in baskets, previously padded, and 

 lined with some soft material, such as wadding, and carried without 

 delay to the fruit-room ; the shelves should be previously covered 

 with canvas, or some such material. In good gardens. I would 

 recommend that the fruits which are in any way difficult of being 

 detached from the tree should be cut off the twigs with a pair of 

 sharp scissors, into a padded basket held beneath for their reception. 

 This may be considered to be a tedious way of gathering fruit. I 

 grant it is. But if we consider, we will see that the fruit thus care- 

 fully gathered will repay the trouble by keeping longer fresh and 

 sound. I can boldly assert that there is more fruit injured by im- 

 proper gathering aud storing, than by any other means. In proof 

 of this, if gardeners would take an apple or pear which has been 

 gathered in the usual way, and lay it aside for a day or so, then 

 carefully peel it, they will find it bruised, though not observable 

 before. How does this happen ? T ai •■•■•. I hat it occurred during 

 the operation of gathering, carelessly laying them in cane baskets, 

 and in carrying them to the fruit-room ; they are also hurt in mov- 

 ing them from one shelf to another. It is a general practice in large 

 gardens to intrust the gathering of fruits to persons who are regard- 

 less how they gather them, and this is a source of much mischief, as 

 the fruit is often much injured by them. It was a common practice 

 (and in some places now) to allow the fruit, when ripe, to fall of its 

 own accord, and many plans have been adopted to prevent the fruit 

 from injury by falling on the ground. Fruits allowed to remain on 



August. 16 



