120 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT 



siderable time. And if the fruit be afterwards gradu- 

 ally thawed, by covering it with melted ice, or im- 

 mersing it in cold spring water, it will lose but little 

 of its flavour, provided it be consumed on the same 

 day." 



Mr. Forsyth gives the following directions for pick- 

 ing and preserving fruit. "Ail apples, pears, &c. 

 ought to be carefully picked by hand, and laid in bas- 

 kets containing dried grass, to prevent them from be- 

 ing bruised ; and if they fall spontaneously, some dry 

 barley straw, or pease haulm should be prepared for 

 their reception on the ground ; in the latter instance, 

 the fruit ought to be separated from, and sent to table 

 before that which is collected by hand; and such as 

 may be accidentally bruised ought to be reserved for 

 culinary purposes, because it cannot be long kept in a 

 sound state. When all the fruit is collected, it should 

 be conveyed to the store room, laid gently, in small 

 heaps, on dried grass, and their tops be covered with 

 short grass, in order to sweut. Here it may remain 

 for about a fortnight during which time, each apple, 

 pear, &c. must be occasionally wiped with a dry 

 woollen cloth, and those exposed on the surface should 

 be placed towards the middle of the heap. At the end 

 of this period, all watery ingredients that may have 

 been imbibed during a wet season, will be evaporated ; 

 the heaps should then be uncovered, and each article 

 carefully wiped ; separating those which may be in- 

 jured, or unfit for keeping. During this process of 

 sweating, the windows of the store room, excepting in 

 wet or foggy weather, ought to be continually open, 

 inorder to discharge the moisture perspiring from the 

 fruit. Mr. Forsyth then directs, as the best method 

 of preserving fruit, to pack them in glazed earthen 

 jars, each apple and pear to be wrapped separately in 

 soft papers, &c. Few persons will be disposed to sub- 

 ject themselves to such expense and trouble, by adopt- 



