376 



The Principles of Fruit-growing 



with if this requisite is at hand. In a fruit country, good 



workmen may usually be secured. 



For getting into the topsol 

 fruit trees, a short and very 

 light ladder with three or four 

 rungs is exceedingly useful. This 

 little ladder will also aid greatly 

 in the gathering of fruit that 

 hangs on the lower limbs just 

 out of the reach of the picker. 

 The ladder is stood upright and 

 the picker mounts it quickly, 

 crossing his legs over the top 

 one or two rungs, and holds 

 himself erect by grasping a limb 

 above his head, as shown in the 

 illustration (Fig. 140, 2). This 



type of ladder is used by professional top-grafters. 



The pictures show various forms of fruit ladders. In 



Fig. 140, the items are as follows: No. 1 is a light ladder 



with a wheel, allowing it to be wheeled 



like a barrow when it is shut, as at 4; 2 



is the short ladder, not requiring sup- 

 port, described in the text; 3, a German 



device for securing a support to the 



ladder, allowing the two supporting legs 



to be shut together; 5 is a pointed ladder 



with support; 6, a similar ladder, with- 

 out support, very useful in tall trees; 7 



is a platform ladder; 8 is a wagon rigged 



for picking, the planks, y, y, upon which 



the picker stands, being swung length- 



. V. , , , . . . FIG. 142. The Japanese 



wise the box when driving from tree to ladder. 



FIG. 141. Two types of tripod 

 picking-ladders. 



