104 Principles of Plant Culture. 



Fruits first become sour from the production of acids 

 which disappear in part at a later stage, while sugar is 

 notably increased. Kipening is favored by warmth, and 

 in some fruits by light. 



Some fruits, as the strawberry and peach, increase 

 rapidly in size during the ripening period, provided the 

 water supply is sufficient. 



Color is not always an index of maturity. Blackberries, 

 currants, and certain other fruits improve in edible 

 quality for some time after assuming their mature color. 



Most fruits that have attained nearly normal size, ripen 

 to a degree when detached from the parent plant. Pears 

 are usually improved in quality if picked before maturity 

 and ripened in-doors. The grape, however, fails to 

 develop its sugar if prematurely picked. 



After a certain stage of maturity is reached, all vital 

 processes in the pulpy part of the fruit cease, and disor- 

 ganization (decay) begins, unless prevented by a preserv- 

 ative process. 



SECTION XII. THE GATHERING AND STORING or SEEDS 



163. The Stage of Maturity at which Seeds will Germi- 

 nate varies greatly in different plants and bears no direct 

 relation to the time at which the seeds are set free from 

 the parent plant. Seeds of the tomato will germinate 

 when the fruit is little more than half grown, and those 

 of the pea will germinate when fit for table use. Seeds 

 of the lemon sometimes germinate within the fruit. On 

 the other hand, seeds of the thorn * and juniper rarely 

 germinate until the second spring after their production. 



* Crataegus. 



