^S3 GARDEN MANAGEMENT. 



concerned ; but it is attended with much greater trouble and inconvenience 

 ihan most persons would deem desirable. 



11. la deep drawers one upon another, without any substance between 



them. 



12. In deep drawers, with sheets of paper or dried fern-leaves placed 



between the layers of fruit. 

 1497. Both these plans are good, and if the fruit be stored sound and dry, 

 ihere will be little need of any intervening material. 



13. In single layers in shallow trays or drawers resting upon fem- 



Icaves, and to be covered when necessary with the same. 

 149S. This is the plan which we should recommend as the safest and best 

 under ordinary circumstances, to be adopted ; and upon it we shall have to 

 enter more into detail when we come to speak of the construction of a fruit- 

 room. 



14. In heaps in dark, dry, well-aired vaults. In this way both apjDles 



and peai-s, in large quantities, may be well and easily kept ; and 

 if the vaults be thoroughly dry and suflSciently beneath the sur- 

 face to exclude frost, the fruit will require no further protection, 

 and give but little trouble. 

 1499. Otlier methods might be added to these, but on careful consideration 

 they will generally be found to assimilate themselves to some one or other of 

 the fourteen already enumerated, differing for the most part only in the 

 material used for packing or covering, which in every case will be found to 

 be good or bad, according as it conforms to or violates those general prin- 

 ciples whioh wo have already pointed out as essential to the preservation of 

 fruit. Before we leave this part of our subject, it may be well to remark 

 that most of the different varieties of pears stored for winter use may be 

 brought forward for the table some days earlier than their usual period of 

 ripenmg by being kept in a warm situation. In times of scarcity, when, as 

 is often the case, there happens to be a tolerable crop of any one particular 

 pear which will thus be required to last over as long a period of time as pos- 

 sible, it will be found very useful to adopt this plan with part of the fruit, so 

 as to extend the time of the ripening of the crop. A drawer in a warm dry 

 kitchen may be made use of for the purpose. No pear, it may be observed, 

 is fit for table until it has arrived at such a state of ripeness that it feels soft 

 when gently pressed with the thumb close to the stalk. This is, perhaps, the 

 best way of ascertaining the ripeness of any fruit, as less injury is likely to 

 arise from pressure near the stalk than in any other part. In certain seasons 

 some sorts of pears are found to be very difficult to ripen. This is especially 

 the case with those which, from the absence of sunshine, want of vigour in 

 the trees, or other causes, have not arrived at maturity at the time of gather- 

 ing. It must not be considered, however, that such hard fruit is altogether 

 useless. It may be made into an excellent preserve simply by baking the 

 pears in jars well covered down, without sugar and without water. The jars 

 fihould remain in a cool oven all night, or longer if found necessary. 



