758 THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



left constantly to themselves this habit of bearing every alternate year becomes permanent; 

 consequently there will be an excess of fruit one season, and a scarcity the next. 



The remedy to be found for this difficulty is in thinning the fruit as soon as it is fully 

 set, or at least, very early in the season, before the tree has expended much of its vitality in 

 the nourishment and growth of the young fruit. If delayed too long, these energies will 

 all be wasted, and but little good will be accomplished. Some fruit-growers clip off the blos 

 soms or small fruit with pruning shears. The experiment of beating off the blossoms with a 

 long pole has been thoroughly tested, and is not satisfactory, since this is liable to injure per 

 manently the bearing twigs. The most satisfactory method of thinning fruit, both as to 

 results and labor involved, is to pick off the fruit by hand as soon as set, dropping it upon 

 the ground. Considerable labor will of course be involved by any method of thinning, but 

 the good results that follow fully compensate for it, especially with the choicest varieties of 

 the orchard. 



By thinning fruit in this manner, trees may not only be made to bear every year, and 

 the evils of overbearing obviated, but fruit thus grown will be of better quality, larger, and 

 more perfect in form than when the trees are left to themselves. Good sized and perfectly 

 formed fruit will bring a much better price in the market than two or three times the same 

 quantity of imperfect fruit. For further information on this subject we refer the reader to 

 methods recommended for CHANGING THE BEARING YEAR. 



Gathering and Assorting Fruit. Like all other crops produced upon the farm, 

 (which require harvesting in a proper manner and at a suitable time), the value of fruit will 

 depend much upon the care it receives at the time of gathering. Many farmers cultivate 

 fruit of good quality who are not able to keep it through the winter, simply from carelessness 

 in gathering, or from its not being gathered at the proper time. Fruit that is gathered 

 before being properly ripened, or so late that it has become affected by the frost, or that is 

 bruised or imperfectly sorted, will neither keep well or command the best market price, how 

 ever well it may have been cultivated. A large amount of fine fruit is lost yearly by care 

 lessness at the time of harvesting, and storing in unsuitable places. 



The time of picking fruit of course varies with different varieties and the purpose to 

 which it is to be appropriated. A large amount of early fruit found in the markets is picked 

 while so green that its flavor and quality are greatly impaired. Most fruits that are transported 

 from a great distance must of necessity be gathered before becoming fully ripe in order to 

 bear transportation. Oranges, for instance, that are found in the Northern markets are very 

 different in flavor from those that have been permitted to ripen on the tree. The same may 

 be said of apples, peaches, and many other kinds of fruit. Pears, however, are an exception 

 to the general rule, and are much more juicy and fine flavored when picked before being 

 mellow. Winter fruit, whether for market or family use, should be picked when quite hard, 

 but apples of the early varieties should be allowed to become mellow on the trees, unless they 

 are to be transported a long distance. 



Early ripening apples that are picked when sufficiently hard to bear a safe transportation 

 to a distant market, could hardly be recognized as the same variety as those that have been 

 permitted to ripen on the tree. All kinds of late ripening fruit should be gathered before 

 the appearance of severe frost, for fruit that has become frost-bitten in the least will decay in 

 a short time; however, the gathering should be delayed as long as possible with safety from 

 frosts, as it will be better under such circumstances. Winter pears will, however, endure a 

 greater degree of cold than apples with safety, but they should not be exposed to a hard 

 frost. Choice fruit of all kinds should be picked by hand, and never shaken from the tree, 

 since any bruises, however slight, will soon cause fermentation to set in, followed by prema 

 ture decay. 



Fruit should be gathered in dry weather, or, if gathered when wet, it should be allowed 



