THE EMIGRANT S HAND-BOOK. 455 



the various culinary purposes, as making tarts and other 

 similar dishes. The expense of preserving them with 

 sugar is a serious objection ; for except the sugar is in 

 considerable quantity, the success is very uncertain. Sugar 

 also overpowers and destroys the sub-acid taste so desira- 

 ble in many fruits : those which are preserved in this 

 manner are chiefly intended for the desert. 



In gathering fruit for winter store, great care should 

 be taken not to bruise it, nor to break the skin ; the in- 

 jured parts soon rot and spoil the sound fruit in contact 

 with it. To prevent this, gardeners even have instruments 

 for gathering the most valuable kinds of fruit from the 

 trees, without touching it with the hand. Fruit intended 

 to be stored, should never be beat off the trees, or by 

 shaking the branches till it drops, if this can be avoided. 

 They are best gathered on a fine day, when they are most 

 likely to be dry; or if this be done on a wet day, they 

 should be dried in the sun, if possible ; the more delicate 

 kinds do not bear to be wiped, as this rubs off their bloom, 

 which, when allowed to dry on some fruits, constitutes a 

 natural varnish, closing up the pores, and preventing the 

 evaporation of the juices. 



The usual mode with apples and pears has been, to lay 

 them first in heaps for a fortnight or more, covered with 

 mats or straw, to siveat, as it is called ; that is, by a very 

 slight fermentation to discharge some of their juice, after 

 which the skin contracts in a slight degree ; but this is 

 now generally disapproved of, and it is thought best to 

 carry them at once to the fruit-room, where they are laid 

 upon shelves covered with white paper, after wiping 

 gently each fruit. The fruit-room should be dry and 

 well-aired, but should not admit the sun. The finer and 

 larger kinds should not be allowed to touch each other, 

 but should be kept separate ; for this purpose a number 

 of shallow trays should be provided, supported above each 



