148 FRUIT AND ITS CULTIVATION. 



fence. This will break the force of the winds, and also 

 ward off any sharp frosts that may occur when the trees 

 are in blossom. Remove the coverings as soon as the 

 fruit has set. 



If the fruits set very freely, it will be wise to thin them 

 out, removing the smallest. This is especially necessary 

 in the case of cordons. As a rule, about six small, three 

 medium-sized, and one large fruit should only be allowed 

 to the square foot. Thus, one fruit of, say, Fitmaston 

 Duchess would be ample to the square foot, a nd three of 

 Louise Bonne, and six of Josephine de Malines to the 

 same area. Fruit thus thinned not only develops of 

 larger size and better shape, but the flavour also is of a 

 superior quality to that of unthinned fruit. Resides, it 

 lessens the strain upon the tree, and encourages it to 

 fruit more regularly. When the fruit begins to ripen, any 

 leaves which shade it should be pushed aside. 



Gathering and Storing the Fruit. Considerable care 

 and judgment are required in the gathering and storing 

 of the fruit. As a rule, Pears are ready to gather when, 

 on placing the hand under the drooping fruit and raising 

 it to a horizontal position, it at once parts from the 

 branch. A fruit which requires to be pulled or twisted 

 off by force is not ripe, nor is its proper flavour fully de- 

 veloped. Besides, if fruit be gathered too soon it will 

 shrivel, and not be of good flavour. The latest sorts 

 ought not to be gathered till the end of October or early 

 part of November. Gather Pears when quite dry, and 

 take care not to bruise the skin. The fruit may be stored 

 in a single layer on shelves in the fruit or other dark 

 cool room, where there is a steady temperature of 40 deg. 

 Or it may be placed in single layers in shallow boxes 

 fitted with a lid, or in a drawer. To hasten the ripening 

 of any variety, bury the fruit in bran in a box ; or place 

 it in clean straw in a basket, and store in a warm room for 

 a week or so. It is important that light be excluded from 

 the fruit. 



