EIPENING AND MARKETING PEARS. 15 



up of sugar, starch, cellulose, dextrine, and other farinaceous 

 substances. Now this ripening process is a saccharine fermen- 

 tation, and is analogous to tlie malting of brewers' grains. In 

 malting, diastase is formed bj^ a change of albumen in the grain, 

 and this diastase acts as a ferment on the starch, gum, and cellulose 

 of the barlej', and changes a portion of these substances to glucose 

 or grape sugar. In the ripening of pears, the vegetable acids 

 which they contain, act on these farinaceous substances, of which 

 the pear is so largely composed, and if the fruit is removed from 

 the trees and kept at a temperature which favors this saccharine 

 fermentation, its cellular tissues will be broken down, its water and 

 aroma set free, and glucose or grape sugar will be formed from its 

 farinaceous substances, giving us a sweet, juicy, high-flavored pear. 

 Now what we want, in ripening pears, is to obtain the most perfect 

 development of this fermentative process, but at the same time to 

 avoid an}' vinous or destructive fermentation which would destroy 

 the sugar or induce decay. We also want to hnxe the fruit as 

 large and plump as possible, avoiding any wilted or shrivelled 

 appearance, and to obtain its best color — as much of bright straw 

 color, with a tinge of red, as possible. Now how shall we make 

 a practical application of these principles so as to obtain the 

 desired results ? 



Summer and early fall pears should be picked just before they 

 begin to turn, and when the}' are nearly grown ; should be handled 

 with great care, to avoid bruising, and should be placed in barrels 

 or boxes in a room or cellar, where the temperature ma}' be kept at 

 about 70° and a moderate degree of moisture maintained. A veiy 

 dry air is not so good, as it absorbs the moisture and aroma from the 

 fruit, injui-es its flavor, and causes it to wilt and shrivel up. After 

 being kept in such a room a few days they will begin to turn, and 

 some of them will mellow ; then they should be sold or used before 

 they soften. The boxes, barrels, or whatever they may be placed 

 in, should be covered with papers to exclude the light and prevent 

 the escape of the aroma. 



Care should also be exercised to avoid placing them so deep in 

 barrels or heaps as to allow of the generation of much internal 

 heat, which might carry the fermentation too high and destroy the 

 fruit. When one has the facilities for dQing so, he may improve 

 the color, and possibly the flavor, by spreading them on shelves 

 between old newspapers. This ripening between papers, on shelves, 



