ORCHARDING— II. 



HANDLING THE FRUIT. 



'HE frziit tree is an investment ; the 

 fruit should prove an annual divi- 

 dend. — It is within reasonable limits 

 ^pj to say that by the time a well cared 

 for Baldwin apple tree reaches bearing- age 

 it may represent an investment of labor and 

 capital amounting- to ten or fifteen dollars. 

 In most parts of New York State this invest- 

 ment is fairly sure and will yield larg-e divi- 

 dends under g-ood management. The divid- 

 end may yet be lost if the owner neglects 



go on more rapidly if the fruit remains on 

 the tree than if it has been picked and stored 

 in a cool place. If exposed to the sun or 

 stored in a warm room it continues to ripen 

 more or less rapidly, depending on the 

 warmth of the room. Apples that are ex- 

 posed to the sun for some time after picking 

 or are allowed to hang on the trees late in 

 the season may be somewhat improved in 

 flavor and appearance, but their season of 

 keeping is undoubtedly shortened. 



Fig. 21 iS. A Busy Day Among the Baldwins. 



to exercise intelligence and judgment in 

 picking and handling the fruit. The method 

 of handling the fruit crop is of vital import- 

 ance. It is the climax of years of labor ; 

 yet just here many fruit growers fail. 



The keeping qualities of the fruit are in- 

 fluenced by the time of picking. — An apple 

 may be mature when the seeds are colored 

 but yet not ripe from the eater's standpoint. 

 After it is mature the ripening process will 



The ripetiing and decay of fruits folloio each 

 other imthout any clearly defined dividing 

 line. — Fruits develop, mature, ripen and 

 decay in shorter or longer period according 

 to their characteristics and the manner in 

 which they have been handled and stored. 

 The whole process of ripening under normal 

 conditions is regularly continuous and is not 

 divided by clearly marked intervals. An 

 apple loses crispness, becomes mellow, the 



