The Canadian Horticulttirist. 



149 



that fruit would surely l>t: bruised by 

 its use, but it is stated by those who 

 have used it that the fruit is in better 

 condition than that picked by hand. 

 We have secured a cut of the 



APPLE GATHKKKR, 



which will be of interest to our 

 Canadian growers, even if the Gath- 

 erer itself should not entirely fulfil 

 our expectations. 



The weight is not very great, for 

 two men can take it up and carry it to 

 any part of the orchard. In size, it 

 is 18 ft. across at the top; can be 

 folded to occupy a space 4x4 ft., 



Fig. 39. — Apple Gathekkk. 



and is 11 ft. high. The shaking of 

 the branches is easily performed by 

 using a pole with a hook on the end, 

 and, where the lower branches are in 

 the way, they may be easily pulled 

 aside by such an instrument while 

 the apples above are being shaken 

 down. 



The cost of this machine is !j>50. 

 We hope soon to test it at Maple- 

 hurst fruit farm, and will then be 

 prepared to say more about its merits 

 and demerits. 



A USEFUL LADDER. 



The time has not yet by any means 



arrived when we can dispense with 

 the ever-useful ladder, for, even 

 should the Apple Gatherer come into 

 general use, it would only be in large 

 commercial orchards, and, even there, 

 ladders would be needed for strip- 

 ping the trees of apples, which could 

 not be shaken down into it, from the 

 tops and middles of the trees. 



Among the various styles of lad- 



FiG. 40. — Fruit Ladder. 



ders, such a kind as w^as described 

 by the writer on page 56 of vol. I. of 

 this journal is most useful. It is 

 made of one stout pole, mortised into 

 a base made of scantling, and having 

 rounds, driven through it for climbing 

 upon. Such a ladder can be very 

 easily made on a rainy day, and can 

 be used in cases where the ordinary 

 two-barred ladder is useless ; for, by 

 reason of the single pole at the top, 

 it can be safely rested in any crotch, 

 while the scantling at the bottom pre- 



