126 THINNING, GATHERING, KEEPING, MARKETING. 



carmine or crimson. When drawers are not at hand the 

 maturing process may be accomplished on shelves, by first 

 spreading a thick piece of woollen cloth, laying the pears on 

 this, and covering them with the same. 



Nearly all pears ripen with a much finer flavor if picked 

 and afterward matured in the house. The exceptions are very 

 few. Some, which prove only second or third rate when 

 allowed to remain till they soften on the tree, become rich, 

 melting, and delicious if house-ripened. Gathering the fruit 

 while yet hard will, in nearly all cases, prevent or greatly 

 diminish the rotting at the core, which otherwise nearly de- 

 stroys the value of many early sorts. 



Most varieties of winter pears should hang as long on the 

 trees as safety from frost will permit, in order that their fine 

 qualities may be fully perfected. Nothing contributes more 

 to this high quality than keeping the trees in a state of strong, 

 healthy growth, by good cultivation, in connection with thin- 

 ning the fruit on the branches. There are a few sorts, as the 

 Lawrence and Winter Nelis, which always, like the Seckel in 

 autumn, possess a good flavor when even of small size ; but 

 most pears are greatly improved in quality, and all in fine 

 appearance, when grown to a full size. 



ASSORTING AND PACKING FOR MARKET. 



Assorting, or separating the large from the small, the 

 smooth from the defective, and the hard from the partly ri- 

 pened, is a practice of great importance, though often neg- 

 glected. Skilful marketers have learned that apples or pears 

 of two sizes will both bring higher prices when separated, 

 than when left mixed together. Indeed, a few small apples 

 in a barrel have sometimes prevented the sale of the whole. 

 This holds true of all kinds of fruit. For the same reason 

 the most successful strawberry-growers are careful to assort 

 the whole crop before placing the fruit in the boxes. 



For long keeping, apples and pears should be carefully 

 assorted, according to the degree of maturity which they show. 

 Ripe ones soonest decay, and if mixed with hard ones soon 

 spoil the whole. If separated, the frequent picking over is 

 avoided. 



