294 



THE APPLE GULTURIST. 



Fig. 119. 



hold the lower end when 

 putting it up and down. 

 Set the ladder nearly per- 

 pendicularly by the side 

 of a tree, and stay it with 

 two guy-ropes from the 

 top of the ladder, fasten- 

 ed to trees, or stakes, or 

 fences, as shown by Fig. 

 119. The ropes need not 

 be larger than a common 

 clothes-line. A man can 

 ascend to the very top of 

 a long ladder secured in 

 this way, and pluck half 

 ** a bushel or more of fruit 

 with entire safety. A 

 large bag suspended on 



Manner of securing a long fruit-ladder by the n6 Boulder, and under 



^*%tt^ttSS the arm on the pp site 



branches without injuring the buds and s jd e j s much more COn- 

 twigs. L represents the top of the ladder, 



der are fastened. there j s no danger of let- 



ting the fruit drop, as with a basket ; and both hands are 

 always free, whether the picker be in the tree or on a ladder. 

 If fruit be borne upon long, slender branches, by drawing 

 the ends inward or downward with a small hook, all the fruit 

 may be reached for several feet on each side. The choicest 

 specimens of pears and apples often grow on the ends of 

 long, slender branches, which will not support a ladder, nor 

 a man while plucking the fruit. When long ladders are 

 leaned against the outside of trees, many of the small limbs 

 and fruit-buds are broken off. By securing a long ladder 

 as represented, fruit can be gathered by hand which could 



