OF FRUIT TREES. 117 



GATHERING AND PRESERVING APPLES. 



The fruit orchard haying attained to that produc- 

 tive state, in which the proprietor is about to remune- 

 rate himself for his lahour and attention, it is still re- 

 quisite to exercise due judgment and discretion in the 

 grateful employment of collecting his crop* The in- 

 judicious method commonly practised in gathering ap- 

 ples is more destructive in its consequences than is 

 generally understood. The first requisite is, to ascer- 

 tain precisely when the fruit is fully ripe, as it is said, 

 that the longer winter apples are suffered to remain 

 on the trees, provided they are not overtaken by frost, 

 the longer they may be preserved. In hot climates, 

 and in hot seasons, fruit attains to maturity and ripe- 

 ness earlier than in colder ones, because the sap per- 

 forms its office more rapidly. It may be considered 

 a correct rule, that apples are ripe when those that 

 are sound and fair fall naturally from the trees, or 

 separate very readily on being lifted by the hand. 

 They should be gathered during a clear dry air, after 

 the dew has evaporated. According to the late phi- 

 losophick Dr. Darwin, in order to ascertain when 

 fruits, for instance, apples and pears, are sufficiently 

 ripe forgathering, it is requisite to attend to the col- 

 our of the skin enclosing the seeds. During their in- 

 fant state, there is no cavity round the kernels, but 

 they are in contact with the seed vessels. In a subse- 

 quent period, when the fruit has exhausted the nutric- 

 ious matter, the cells containing the seeds become hol- 

 low, and the latter assume a dark colour. This,, Dr. 

 D. observes, is the proper criterion by which to judge 

 when such fruits should be gathered ; as it indicates 

 that they will not continue to increase in size, but 

 waste and become hollow, by absorbing the mucilagi- 

 nous particles from the centre. In gathering apples 

 and pears, it is necessary carefully to avoid injuring 

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