530 THE ORCHARD. [Oct. 



But none of the more delicate eating pears should he suffered 

 to remain on the trees till overtaken hy frost, for if they are once 

 touched with it, it will occasion many of them to rot in a very 

 short time. Indeed, it would be needless, even wrong, to suffer 

 either apples or pears to remain on the trees after the least appear- 

 ance of ice upon the water, as they would be subject to much inju- 

 ry, and receive no possible kind of benefit afterwards. 



Observe in gathering the principal keeping fruits, both pears and 

 apples, to do it when the trees and fruit are perfectly dry, other- 

 wise they will not keep so well; and that the sorts designed for 

 long keeping be all carefully hand pulled, one by one, and laid 

 gently into a basket, so as not to bruise one another. 



According as the fruits are gathered carry them into the fruitery 

 or into some convenient dry, clean apartment, and lay them care- 

 fully in heaps, each sort separate, for about ten days or two weeks, 

 in order that the watery juices may transpire, which will make them 

 keep longer, and render them much better for eating than if put 

 up finally as soon as pulled. 



When they have lain in heaps that time wipe each fruit, one 

 after another, with a clean dry cloth, and if you have a very warm 

 dry cellar where frost is by no means likely to enter, nor the place 

 subject to much dampness, lay them singly upon shelves coated 

 with dry straw, and cover them with a layer of the same. 



Or you may wrap some of the choice sorts, separately, in white 

 paper, and pack them up in barrels, or in baskets, lined with the 

 like material. Or, after being wiped dry, lay layer about of fruit 

 and perfectly dry sand in barrels, and head them up as tight as 

 possible. In default of sand you may use barley chaff", bran, or dry 

 saw-dust. 



Another method, and a very good one, is to be provided with a 

 number of large earthen jars, and a quantity of moss, in a perfectly 

 dry state; and when the fruits are wiped dry as before directed, 

 your jars being also dry, lay therein layer about of fruit and moss 

 till the jars are near full, then cover with a layer of moss. 



Suffer them to remain in this state for eight or ten days, then 

 examine a stratum or two at the top to see if the moss and fruits 

 are perfectly dry; and if you find them in a good condition, stop 

 the jars up with good cork plugs, and cover them with some melted 

 rosin to keep out air. The pears and apples to be used this way 

 should be of the latest and best keeping kinds, and such as are not 

 generally fit for use till February, March or April. 



Alter the jars are sealed as above, place them in a warm, dry 

 cellar or room, on a bed of perfectly dry sand, at least one foot 

 thick; and about the middle of November, or sooner if there is any 

 danger to be apprehended from frost, fill up between the jars with 

 very dry sand until it is a foot thick around and over them. Thus 

 you may preserve pears in the greatest perfection for eight or nine 

 months, and apples twelve. 



Be particularly careful to examine every fruit as you wipe it, 

 lest it is bruised, which would cause it soon to rot and communicate 

 the infection, so that in a little time much injury might be sus- 



