GATHERING FRUITS, ETC. 437 



deserve much more attention than they receive, consider- 

 ing the value of their timber as well as fruit. 



CHAPTER H. 



GATHERING, PACKING, TRANSPORTATION, AND PRESERVA- 

 TION OF FRUITS. 



THIS is a branch of the general subject of fruit culture 

 and management that requires the most careful attention ; 

 for it is quite useless to take pains in producing fine fruits, 

 without taking equal pains in gathering, preserving, and 

 sending them to the table or the market in a sound, 

 sightly, and proper condition. Very few fruit-growers 

 seem to Appreciate this part of their business. Fruit- 

 dealers at home and abroad complain of the careless and 

 slovenly manner in which our fruits are gathered, packed, 

 and presented in the market, and would gladly pay a dou- 

 ble price for them in a better condition. The first con- 

 sideration is : 



The period of maturity at which fruits should be 

 gathered. The stone fruits generally are allowed to reach 

 perfect maturity, or within four or five days of it, on the 

 tree. 



In moist, cool seasons, particularly, they are benefited 

 by being gathered a few days before maturity, and allow- 

 ed to ripen in a dry, warm room; they part with the 

 water contained in their juices, which thus become better 

 elaborated and more sugary and high-flavored. 



Summer Pears, too, on the same principle, require to 

 be gathered, as a general thing, from a week to a fort- 



