392 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 



which answers the purpose so well as a strong, nim- 

 ble boy who is not afraid to climb. In many or- 

 chards, the long and cumbersome ladders may be 

 almost entirely dispensed with if this requisite is at 

 hand. For getting into the tops of 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 which hangs upon 

 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 (2, 

 Fig. 82, page 391). This is a type of ladder which 

 is much used by professional top -grafters. 



The various kinds of fruit -picking devices which 

 are upon the market are useful only for gathering 

 the few outlying fruits upon the tall and far-reaching 

 limbs. It is never practicable to use them for the 

 picking of the entire crop, except in those very rare 

 cases in which the crop is small and all the fruits 

 are fit for the dessert trade. The labor of picking 

 with these devices is slow and onerous. One of the 

 best types of fruit -pickers is shown at 5 in Fig. 83, 



NOTE. A variety of ladders is shown i,n Fig. 82. No. 1 is a light ladder 

 with a wheel, allowing it to be wheeled like a wheelbarrow when it is 

 shut up, as at 4 ; 2, the short ladder, not requiring support, described in the 

 text above ; 3, a German device for securing a support to a ladder, allow- 

 ing the two supporting legs to be shut together ; 5, a pointed ladder, with 

 support; 6, similar ladder, without support (very useful in tall trees); 7, plat- 

 form ladder ; 8, wagon rigged for picking, the planks y, y (upon which the 

 picker stands) being swung around lengthwise the box when driving from 

 tree to tree. 



