PLANTING, SOWING, AND CULTIVATING. 415 



them on the shelves side by side with their eyes downwards. When 

 gathering and stowing are completed, shut the room as close as pos- 

 sible, and only open it when the fruit is wanted. The best modes 

 of packing fruit which is to be sent to a distance have been already 

 given. (See p. 370.) 



Gathering the Fruit and Management of the Fruit-room. No fruit 

 ought to be allowed to drop from the tree, nor should it be beaten 

 down or shaken off. Except in wet or late seasons, it ought not to be 

 gathered till it is quite ripe, which in stone fruits and berries is known 

 by its softness and fragrance, in kernel fruit by the brown colour of 

 the seeds, and in nuts by the opening of the husks. It ought in every 

 case to be gathered by hand ; and in addition to ladders of different 

 kinds, there is the orchardist's crook, fig. 338, the use of which is to 



Fig. 338. 



Orchardist's crook. * 



take hold of one branch with the hook, and draw it towards the 

 operator; and then, by putting the sliding- piece, a, over another 

 branch, that branch is held in that position by the obliqueness of the 

 line of pressure, which prevents the sliding-piece from moving : thus 

 leavm"" the operator free to use both hands in gathering the fruit. 

 The fruit ought to be put into baskets, placing each kind in a basket 

 by itself, and laying it in so gently as to run no risk of bruising it ; 

 and not only keeping each kind of fruit by itself, but keeping wall 

 fruit apart from standard fruit, because the former will be soonest fit 

 for the table. The fruit laid on shelves should be placed with their 

 eyes downwards, and so as not to touch each other ; but baking apples 

 and pears may be spread on a cool floor. In whatever manner fruit 

 is placed in the fruit-room or fruit-cellar, the doors and windows of the 

 apartments should be kept closely shut, so as to keep the atmosphere of 

 as uniform a temperature and moisture as possible. It should, as we 

 have already observed, never be lower than 40, nor higher than 45, if 

 possible in close mild weather to keep it so low, with the dew point 

 indicating a very slight degree of dryness occasionally. There are, 

 however, exceptions, such as in the case of ripening off, or keeping 

 such kinds in that temperature which experience proves to be most 

 conducive for producing fine consistence and flavour. This requires 

 one or more separate compartments having a command of heat, wherein 

 the temperature maybe graduated as circumstances may require. The 

 external air ought only to be admitted when that within is rendered 

 offensive by the decomposition of the fruit. If at any time the tem- 

 perature should fall below 32, still no artificial heat ought to be 

 applied, but thawing allowed to take place in the dark, by which 

 precaution injury will be avoided. Table apples and pears which 



