520 THE ORCHARD. [OCT. 



cither apples or pears to remain on the trees, after the least appear- 

 ance of ice upon the water; as they would be subject to much inju- 

 ry, and receive no possible kind of benefit afterwards. 



Observe in gathering the principal keeping fruits, both pears and 

 apples, to do it when the trees and fruit are perfectly dry, other- 

 wise they will not keep so w>.H ; and that the sorts designed for long 

 keeping, be all carefully hand pulled, one by one, and laid gently 

 into a basket, so as not to bruise one another. 



According as the fruits are gathered, carry them into the fruitery, 

 or into some convenient dry, clean, apartment, and lay them care- 

 fully in heaps, each sort separate, for about ten days, or two weeks, 

 in order that the watery juices may transpire ; which will make 

 them keep longer, and render them much better for eating, than if 

 put up finally as soon as pulled. 



When they have lain in heaps that time, wipe each fruit, one 

 after another, with a clean, dry cloth, and if you have a very warm 

 dry cellar, where frost is by no means likely to enter, nor the place 

 subject to much dampness ; lay them singly, upon shelves, coated 

 with dry straw, and cover them with a layer of the same. 



Or, you may wrap some of the choice sorts, separately, in 

 white paper, and pack them up .in barrels, or in baskets, lined with 

 the like material. Or, after being wiped dry, lay layer about of 

 fruit and perfectly dry sand, in barrels, and head them up as tight 

 as possible. In default of sand, you may use barley chaff, bran, or 

 dry saw dust. 



Another method, and a very good one, is to be provided with a 

 number of large earthen jars, and a quantity of moss, in a perfectly 

 dry state ; and when the fruits are wiped dry as before directed, 

 your jars being also dry, lay therein layer about of fruit and moss, 

 till the jars are near full, then cover with a layer of moss. 



Suffer them to remain in this state for eight or ten days, then 

 examine a stratum or two at the top to see if the moss and fruits 

 are perfectly dry; and if you find them in a good condition, stop 

 the jars up with good cork plugs, and cover them with some 

 melted rosin to keep out air. The pears and apples to be used 

 this way should be of the latest and best keeping kinds, and such 

 as are not, generally, fit for use till February, March, or April. 



After the jars are sealed as above, place them in a warm dry 

 cellar or room on a bed of perfectly dry sand, at least one foot 

 thick ; and about the middle of November, or sooner if there is any 

 danger to be apprehended from frost, fill up between the jars with 

 very dry sand, until it is a foot thick round and over them. Thus 

 you may preserve pears in the greatest perfection, for eight, or 

 nine months, and apples twelve. 



Be particularly careful to examine every fruit as you wipe it, 

 lest it is bruised, which would cause it soon to rot and communicate 

 the infection, so that in a little time much injury might be sus- 

 tained, in consequence of a trifling neglect in the first instance : 

 but above all things, place your fruit whatever way they are put up, 

 completely out of the reach of frost. 



