PROTECTION OF FRUIT 33 



handling by the stems. With high pyramids Heath- 

 man's combined ladder-steps may be needed. Pears 

 should be put away quite dry in a dark and dry place, 

 where the temperature is as even as outside wooden or 

 other walls, and thatch above can make it. Perfect and 

 fine fruit should be wrapped in tissue or other paper and 

 placed singly on shelves or in shallow drawers or boxes. 

 Boxes are excellent for late fruit. For storing they should 

 be only deep enough to hold one layer of fruit. Scott 

 recommends clean bran, others dry silver sand, to put 

 among the fruit so as to absorb any moisture. The 

 ripening may be hastened by placing the fruit in a gently 

 warmed room, or on hot water pipes in a greenhouse. 

 " Sorts dry and tough carefully ripened in warm drawers 

 or on the shelves of a warm cupboard become delici- 

 ously melting and rich. A heat from 60 to 70 is about 

 the proper temperature" (Scott). Fruit pecked, bruised, 

 or injured in any way should be kept apart and got rid 

 of without storing. White tissue paper, 1 glazed on one 

 side, the fruit resting on the glazed side with another 

 sheet on the top, the glazed side downwards, is useful 

 where a large amount of fruit is stored on shelves or 

 trays. Orr's Patent Trays, sold by John P. White, 

 Bedford, are excellent for storing. The trays fit on 

 each other, and single trays are readily moved, so that 

 the fruit on each tray can be examined without being 

 handled. 



PROTECTION OF FRUIT 



As trees must be protected against hares and rabbits, 

 so must fruit be from other enemies. Birds in some 

 seasons are most destructive, attacking the finest fruit, 

 pecking a piece out near the stalk. Such fruit soon 

 decays. Wasps and blue-bottle flies feast on ripe or 



1 See Watson, vol. v., " Storing." 

 c 



