326 Picking and ripening Fruit. 



known and very handsome fruit, more perfectly illustrates the importance 

 of early picking. We well remember one year picking this variety as early as 

 the 20th of September, and were surprised to find it so good a pear. The 

 next season, for the purpose of trying the experiment, we left them on the 

 tree until the loth of October, or thereabouts ; but these last never ripened 

 so as to be worth eating. We had a similar experience with the Buffam ; 

 a very good pear, by the way, when raised on dry, warm land, and gathered 

 at the right time. But some varieties are more difficult to manage, such 

 as Flemish Beauty, Beurre Diel, Figue d'Alen9on, and others that are in- 

 clined to rot at the core, — a fair exterior, but false within. The only way 

 we know is to pick them early, and use them as soon as they mature so as 

 be in eating condition. The Clapp's Favorite, if left too long on the tree, 

 is almost certain to decay at the core ; but, if picked soon after the imperfect 

 fruits that drop become soft and eatable, they will ripen splendidly, and be 

 perfectly sound clear through. We know of few pears where the advan- 

 tage gained from early gathering is so clearly manifest as with this new and 

 popular sort. It is generally safe to say all the summer and fall pears will 

 mature, even if picked as soon as fully grown ; but they seem to improve 

 after this time, or for a few days. No positive rule can be laid down as to 

 time that will apply to all sections of the country and to every season. 

 The grower of fruit must watch carefully, and by experiment test the ques- 

 tion for himself. If we have dealt successfully with the early and the fall 

 pears, what shall we say of the winter varieties ? A few years ago, a friend 

 of ours claimed, and still claims, that he can ripen the hardest and most 

 unpromising specimens of winter pears, even the Easter Beurre, so that 

 the shady side will become melting. He also claimed that he could retard 

 the ripening process so that Seckels could be had in perfection in January 

 and February. If this should prove to be really so, — and we see no 

 good reason why the latter part, at least, may not be done, — it would be a 

 valuable discovery ; for all growers of winter pears have to confess their 

 inability to fully mature some varieties. We well remember, several years 

 ago, being at the house of a friend who was considerable of a fruit-grower, 

 and hearing him tell of some winter pears that he had raised, but had never 

 been able to ripen, and so concluded they were only cooking-pears. We 

 asked to look at them ; and he brought up from the cellar several of the 



