HORTICULTURE. 



241 



I- rait 



are the most ripe. All the berries on a bunch never 

 ripen equally ; and it is therefore proper to cut away 

 unripe or decayed berries before presenting the bunch- 

 es at table. Autumn and winter pears are gathered, 

 when dry, as they successively ripen. The early varie- 

 : apples begin to be useful tor the kitchen in the 

 end of June ; particularly the codlins and the jenneting ; 

 and in July they are fit for the dessert. From this 

 time till October or November, many kinds ripen in 

 The safest rule is to observe when the 



fruit begins to fall naturally. Another eas mode of 



easy 

 with 



ascertaining, is to raise the fruit level with the foot- 

 stalk; if ripe, it will part readily from the tree : this 

 mode of trial is also applicable to pears. A third cri- 

 terion is to cut up an apple of the average ripeness of 

 the crop, and examine if it* *eeds have become brown 

 or blackish ; if they remain uncoloured, the fruit is not 

 ready for pulling. Immature fruit never keep* so 

 well as that which nearly approaches maturity ; it is 

 more apt to shrivel and lose flavour. Winter apples 

 are left onrthe trees till there be danger of frost : they 

 are then gathered on a dry day. 



In all cases the fruit is plucked with the hand, and 

 great care taken to avoid bruising. For collecting the 

 tram half standard and full standard trees, a step- 

 ladder is employed. This ladder may be so contrived 

 that the back shall come away by removing a bolt 

 The same Udder may thus be used for high wall-trees; 

 but in this case two rods of iron should be made to 

 project six or eight inches from the top, to keep it from 

 resting on tfae breaches of the trees, and injuring 

 them. 



846. Hitfi method of keeping pears may be shortly 

 mentioned. Having prepared a number of earthen- 

 ware jars, and a quantity of dry moss (different species of 

 hypnum and sphagnum), he placed a layer of moss and 

 of pears alternately till the jar was filled ; a plug was 

 then inserted, and sealed around with melted win. 

 These jars were sunk in dry sand to the depth of a 

 foot ; preferring a deep cellar for keeping them, to any 

 fruit-room. 



Miller'* plan may also be noticed. After sweat- 

 ing and wiping, in which operations great care most be 

 taken not to bruise the fruit, the pear* are park 

 dose baskets, having some wheat-straw in the bottom 

 ami around the sides to prevent bruising, and a lining 

 of thick soft paper to hinder the musty flavour of the 

 straw from infecting the I nit. Only one kind of fruit 

 is put in each basket, as the process of 

 more or 



or less rapid in different kinds. A covering of 

 paper and itraw .< fixed on the top, and the basket is 

 then deposited in a dry room, secure against the access 

 n.l the les air i let into the room, the bet- 

 ter the fn.it w,ll kerp." A label should be attached 

 to each basket, denoting the kmd of fruit ; for the 

 e opened till the fruit be wanted for use. 

 21*. Mr James .Mrwart, an e&pcf ienced gardener at 

 tad, has long preserved his choice ap- 

 ples and pears hi glaxcd earthen- ware jars, provided 

 with tops or covers. In the bottom of the jars and be- 

 tween each layer of Iniit, hr pots some pure pit and 

 whi.-h has been thoroughly <hiedon a flue. The jars 

 are kept in a dry airy situation, as cool as poil>le, but 

 secure from frost A label on the jr indicates the kind 

 of fruit ; and wl.< n this i wanted or ought to be used, 

 it is taken from the jars, and placed for some time on the 

 shelves of the fruit-room. The less ripe fruit is some- 

 tisneii restored to the jars, but with newly dried sand. 

 In this way he preserves cetrnarts and other fine French 



!.. XI. PART I. 



pears till April ; the terling till June; and many kinds of 

 apples till July, the skin remaining smooth and plump. G ! \, 

 Others who also employ earthen-ware jars, wrap each ^^ at 

 fruit in paper, and in place of sand use bran. fruit. 



249- Mr Ingram at Torry in Scotland, a very intel- 

 ligent gardener, has succeeded uncommonly well in the 

 management of the fruit room. For winter pears he finds 

 two apartments requisite, a colder and a warmer ; but 

 the former, though cold, must be free of damp. From 

 it the fruit is brought into the warmer room as wanted; 

 and by means of increased temperature, maturation is 

 promoted, and the fruit rendered delicious and mellow. 

 C'haunionttls, for example, are placed in close drawers, 

 so near to a stove, that the temperature may con- 

 stantly be between 60" and 70 Fahr. For most kinds 

 of fruit, however, a temperature equal to 55" is found 

 sufficient The degree of heat is accurately determined, 

 by keeping small thermometers in several of the fruit- 

 drawers, at different distances from the stove. The 

 drawers are about six inches deep, three feet long, and 

 two broad ; they are made of hard wood, fir being apt 

 to spoil the flavour of the fruit. They are frequently 

 examined, in order to give air, and to observe the state 

 of the fruit, it being wiped when necessary. Mr In- 

 gram remarks, that, in Scotland particularly, late pears 

 should have a* much of the tree as possible, even al- 

 though some frost should supervene ; such as ripen 

 freely, on the* other hand, are plucked rather before 

 they reach maturity. 



250. Winter apples are generally led on the trees 

 till there be danger of fast. They are then gathered, 

 when dry, aa tmmu\j noticed ; and are laid in heaps, 

 and covered with mats or straw, or short grass well 

 dried. Here they lie for a fortnight or more, to i>Muf 

 as it is called, or to discharge some of the juice of their 

 skin, which thus contracts in a certain degree. After 

 this they are wiped dry with a woollen cloth, and placed 

 in the fruit-room. Sometimes, when intended for win- 

 ter dessert Iruit, they are made to undergo a farther 

 sweating ; and are again wiped and picked : they are 

 ngly on the shelves, and covered with pa- 

 per. Here they are occasionally turned, and such as 

 shew any symptoms of decay are immediately removed. 

 Raking frurt is kept in a close but cool place, where 



t., ! 



little variation.* It is found 

 te. Some- 

 baking are kept in baskets 

 is 



is terial for brans; and covering such baskets or hampers 

 than straw, and straw is better than hay. 



It may be proper to mention, that some entirely dis- 

 approve of the sweating of fruit, affirming that it there- 

 by acquires a bad flavour, which it retains, or at any 

 rate that the natural flavour of the fruit is deteriorated. 

 They consider it better to carry the fruit directly from 

 the tree, carefully avoiding all sort of bruising, and to 

 lay it thinly on the shelves of the fruit-room ; after- 

 wards wiping, if it appear necessary. The room, they 

 say, should be dry ; but the only use that should be 

 made of a stove, is to take off the damp. 



As connected with the forcing department, we now 

 proceed to speak of the culture of the melon under 

 framas. placed upon a hot-bed. 



Melon. 



2.-.I. The Mflo* it the t'ncnmu Mela. I..; Motutcia Melon. 

 MoimdeMiia ; and belongs to the natural order Cimr- 



