382 The Principles of Fruit- growing. 



expected to be very much better than it is in the 

 general run of samples. 



A peach is fit to pick when it is full grown 

 and has begun to develop its characteristic color. 

 Peaches and apricots do not ordinarily color up 

 well after they are picked, although plums usually 

 will do so, especially the Japanese plums, which may 

 be picked very green and yet develop a high color. 

 It is very difficult to describe .that period of ma- 

 turity at which a peach is ready for picking. An 

 experienced picker will take the fruit softly in his 

 hand and press the ball of his thumb very lightly 

 upon the side, and if the fruit has a somewhat 

 springy feeling, it is ready to take off the tree. 

 This pressure is never sufficient to leave any mark 

 upon the fruit. Pinching a peach will almost always 

 spoil it. If the peach is too green, it will feel 

 hard and stone -like. If it is too soft, it will simply 

 indent, and will not have the elastic feeling which 

 is mentioned. 



In the case of cherries and plums, it is very 

 important that the fruits be picked just before 

 they have reached their condition of most edible 

 quality. This is largely because the fruit-rot fun- 

 gus is very likely to destroy the fruits at the time 

 of their ripening, especially upon those varieties 

 which are particularly subject to the disorder. 

 Amongst plums, the Lombard is one of the most 

 seriously attacked ; and amongst cherries, nearly all 

 the white -fleshed ones, like Governor Wood and 

 Napoleon, are greatly subject to injury. If the 



