DESCRIBING POME FRUITS 43 



this account it is a good plan to have on hand 

 some sort of fruit calipers. The common 

 six-inch or foot rula with a draw-caliper at the 

 end, such as can be bought of any good hard- 

 ware dealer, is very satisfactory for this same 

 purpose, especially in the measurement of 

 small fruits. In case all these conveniences 

 are unavailable, one may make shift of a fairly 

 accurate measurement with an ordinary rule. 

 It will be best in this case to lay the fruit on 

 some flat surface, as a table, and place a sheet 

 of stiff paper, or cardboard, or a small pane of 

 glass on top of it. This glass or cardboard 

 may then be held level with one hand while 

 the measurement is taken with the rule held 

 in the other hand and applied against the edge 

 of the cardboard, with its end resting on the 

 table. The illustration (Fig. n) will make 

 this explanation clearer. 



The cavity should next be studied. The 

 cavity is the depression about the stem, and 

 in which the stem grows. This is one of the 

 most characteristic features of the apple, and 

 is equally distinct and interesting in many 

 p^ars. Special and careful attention should 

 always be given to it. 



The depth of the cavity should be noticed 



