

SECTION IV. 



GATHERING AND RIPENING THE PEAR, AND USES 



OF THE FRUIT. 

 /1!li .^>i> J&> 1 



All our winter pears (and apples also,) are, 

 of necessity, ripened in the house. Nearly all 

 summer pears and a very large proportion of 

 the autumn varieties, are greatly improved 

 by ripening them in the house also. Nor is 

 this peculiar to the pear. Wheat and some 

 other grains, gathered at a particular time 

 just before maturity, will be more bulky, 

 heavier and better thab when left to get dead 

 ripe, as it is called, in the field. We cannot 

 in this little work go into an investigation of 

 the theory of this process. It is enough to 

 assert the unquestionable fact. 



Generally, then, we advise to take summer 

 and early autumn pears from the trees just 

 when some of the earlier full-grown, speci- 

 mens begin to ripen. Gather them carefully 

 by hand in a dry day, spread then on the 



