GATHERING AND STORING FRUIT 35 



years without in some way suffering. It may not be for 

 some years to come, but it will undoubtedly be noticeable 

 in the failure of the apple tree at a comparative early 

 period of its existence, or perhaps in its being per- 

 manently weakened. It is far more satisfactory to be 

 content with an average crop year by year, for a tree 

 will then bear good fruit over a much longer period 

 than if it is overcropped early in life. 



GATHERING AND STORING THE FRUIT 



The gathering of the apple should properly extend 

 over a considerable period, for the ripening of the 

 numerous varieties now in cultivation begins in July 

 and continues over several months. The bulk of apple 

 gathering is, however, done in October ; for it is not 

 safe to leave the fruits on the trees after then, because 

 of the stormy weather often experienced in November, 

 and most varieties are sufficiently advanced to gather 

 at that late season. Generally speaking, the early 

 varieties do not keep long ; being fit for use only for 

 a few weeks after gathering. It is indeed the fact 

 of their being ripe so soon that makes them of 

 value, for there are scores of mid-season varieties. It 

 is not difficult to determine when these early kinds are 

 ready to be picked, for, apart from the aroma that 

 they have, if one will take the trouble to smell them, 

 the fruits will easily part from the tree at the base 

 of the stalk, when they are sufficiently ripe to be 

 gathered. There is but a small number of early fruits 

 as compared with those to be gathered later, and 

 they require no storing, for the simple reason that 

 they are ready for table or market, and therefore do not 

 need to be kept until ripe, which, of course, is the chief 

 object in storing apples. If our climate were such as to 

 permit the cultivator to let the fruits remain upon the 



