336 Preservatw7i of Fruit after Gathering. 



FRUITING. 



Pear trees often blossom profusely, and, without any apparent cause, 

 drop the flowers, leaving the tree barren. Mr. Martin has found a 

 remedy in rubbing off the surplus fruit-buds before blossoming, thereby 

 retaining the vitality of the tree to perfect what remain. 



There are two things that it is hard to persuade the mass who plant 

 trees to do : to use the pruning-knife boldly, and to thin out fruit when 

 a tree sets too full ; but in no other way can large and fine specimens be 

 grown. The sooner we, as a people, learn that pear culture is an art 

 (easy to practise), and that one cannot let a pear orchard alone and ex- 

 pect fine, large fruit, the better it will be. Next to low training, the 

 notable practice in INIr. Martin's system is a rigid and relentless thinning 

 of the fruit. 



One dozen large, fine pears will bring more money than half a bushel 

 of common fruit. The trees are examined when the fruit is as large as 

 cherry stones, and the weaker sets are picked oft'. Again, when the 

 fruit is as large as hickory nuts, another thinning is given, leaving no 

 more on than the tree can bring to perfection and not exhaust its 

 vitality. Later, as the codling moth begins to work, the stung fruit is 

 removed. The end achieved by this thorough thinning is regular an- 

 nual crops of fine, large specimens, that command a high price. 



PRESERVATION OF FRUIT AFTER GATHERING. 



By Dr. J. S. Houghton, Philadelpliia, Pa. 



I HAVE tried many experiments in keeping fruit, and especially 

 pears, after they have been gathered from the tree ; but none of the 

 common expedients have seemed to answer the purpose. A very low 

 temperature, and a dry, pure atmosphere, present the only sure means 

 of preserving fruit. No sort of packing, such as sawdust, charcoal, 

 dry sand, or land plaster, has proved even moderately successful. 



