414 PLANTING, SOW I NO, AND CULTIVATING. 



bearing in mind that the object is not to produce luxuriant branches, 

 but blossom-buds. It is better, however, generally to renew the 

 productive power of the soil with liquid manure, or town sewage, 

 than with such dressings of composts. 



Management of the Culinary Crops. All culture must necessarily 

 consist in the application of general practices, or in the performance of 

 such operations as are required by particular species or for particular 

 objects. The former are already given, and the latter will be found 

 when treating of the culture of each particular culinary plant in our 

 catalogue of Culinary Vegetables. 



Gathering, Storing, and Keeping of Fruit. " The chief require- 

 ments of a good fruit-room are, darkness, a low and steady tempera- 

 ture, dry ness to a certain point (for apples are found to keep 

 best, as regards appearance, in a rather damp atmosphere, but for 

 flavour a moderately dry air is preferable), and exclusion of the ex- 

 ternal air. If the light of the sun strikes upon a plant, the latter 

 immediately parts with its moisture by perspiration, in proportion to 

 the force exercised on it by the sun, and independently of temperature. 

 The greatest amount of perspiration takes place beneath the direct rays 

 of the sun, and the smallest in those places to which daylight reaches 

 with most difficulty. Now, the surface of a fruit perspires like that of 

 a leaf, although not to the same amount. While growing on the tree, 

 it is perpetually supplied by the stem with water enough to replace 

 that which is all day long flying off from its surface ; but as soon as it 

 is gathered, that source of supply is removed, and then, if the light 

 strikes it ever so feebly, it loses weight, without being able to replace 

 its loss It is thus that fruit becomes shrivelled and withered pre- 

 maturely. Light should therefore have no access to a good fruit- 

 room." 



" Temperature should be uniform. If it is high, the juices of the 

 fruit will have a tendency to decompose, and thus decay will be accele- 

 rated ; if, on the contrary, it is below 32, decomposition of another 

 kind is produced, in consequence of the chemical action and mechanical 

 effects of freezing. In any case, fluctuations of temperature are pro- 

 ductive of decay. A steady temperature of from 40 to 45, with a 

 dry atmosphere, will be found the best for most kinds of fruit. Some 

 pears of the late kinds are better for being kept in a temperature as 

 high as 60, for this ripens them, renders them melting, and improves 

 their quality very essentially. The general construction of the 

 fruit-room ought not, however, to be altered on their account ; such 

 fruits can readily be placed in a hothouse or hot closet. The air should 

 be kept moderately dry, but ventilation should not be used except for 

 the purpose of removing offensive smells, arising from the putrefaction 

 of the fruit. Ventilation by continual currents of air carries off from 

 fruit the moisture which it contains, and thus acts in the same way as 

 light, in producing shrivelling, and destroying that plump appearance 

 which gives its beauty to fruit." (* Gard. Chron.,' vol. i. pp. 611, 61.) 



Great care should be taken in gathering, handling, and storing the 

 fruit, and placing each kind by itself. Gather in baskets, and place 



