460 The FruitGarden. Od,] 



froft; for if they are once touched with the froft, it will 

 eccafion many of them to rot before they are fit for the 

 table, even if ever fo good care is afterwards taken of 

 them. 



But fuffer neither apples nor pears to remain longeron 

 the trees than the latter end of this month, for they will 

 get no good after that time. 



Obferve, that for all the principal keeping fruits, a 

 dry day mud be chofen for this work, and alfo let the 

 trees and fruit be quite dry before you begin to gather ; 

 about eleven or twelve o'clock is the bell time in the day 

 to begin, and may be continued till three or four in the 

 afternoon ; obferving likewife that the capital fruits de- 

 figned for long keeping ihould all be carefully pulled 

 one by one and put into a bafket, taking care to lay them 

 in gently, that they may not bruife one another. 



According as the fruit are gathered, let them be car- 

 ried into the fruitery, or any other dry place, and lay 

 them carefully in heaps, each fort by themfelves. 



Thus let them lie together about a fortnight tofweat ; 

 this will make them keep better, and alfo render their 

 flavour much finer, than if they were laid up for good as 

 foon as they are gathered. 



When they have laid that time, let all the choice keep- 

 ing fruit be then carefully wiped one by one with cloths, 

 and lay them up where they are to remain. 



Some of the finell eating pears and apples, you may 

 pack up inbafkets or boxes, obferving to put fome clean 

 wheat-draw at bottom, and alfo round the fides of the 

 baficet^ or boxes ; and, when they are filled, lay fome 

 draw at top, and then cover the whole with dry draw, a 

 confiderable thicknefs, to exclude the damps and free 

 air; for this is of confiderable advantage in promoting 

 their found keeping. 



The more inferior or common kinds, for general fup- 

 ply, may be laid on the fheives and floor of the fruitery; 

 fir'd laying fome clean draw, then lay the fruit upon this, 

 obferving, if there is plenty of room, let ihern be laid 

 only one, two or three layers thick, otherwifc may lay 

 them in feveral layers one upon another; covering the 

 whole with dry, clean draw, a foot thick at lead, to ex- 

 clude the damp air, frod, &c. whereby the fruit will 

 keep much better than if they remained open or un- 

 covered ; 



