Gardening for Amateurs 



975 



for storing, and if light can be excluded 

 it will be all the better. A dry cellar may 



Fig. 5. Tiers of lath shelves 

 in store room. 



also be used for the purpose. A point which 

 must be borne in mind is that both Apples and 

 Pears are very susceptible to odours, and 

 soon absorb anything of a mouldy or tainted 

 nature, Avhich of course spoils them ; there- 

 fore both the place in which the fruit is to 

 be stored and the shelves, boxes, or barrels 

 on or in which they are to be placed must 

 be quite clean and sweet, and not contain 

 anything of an objectionable character. 

 Straw or hay should not be placed on the 

 shelves or in the boxes containing the fruit, 

 for they frequently give a musty flavour to 

 Apples and Pears, the former in particular. 

 Tiers of lath shelves arranged so that the 

 fruit can be placed in single layers and air 

 freely circulate amongst it are by far the 

 best receptacles for storing, but shallow 

 tra} 7 s or boxes having lath bottoms are also 

 satisfactory. When barrels or boxes are to 

 be used for storing Apples, the fruit should 

 be spread out in single layers for a week or so 

 before being placed therein. One advantage 

 of storing the fruit in single layers is tha<t it 

 can be readily examined, and an}^ specimens 

 showing signs of becoming unsound removed 

 and utilised. 



Fig. 1 shows how to make a handy con- 

 trivance for gathering Apples and Pears 

 which are difficult to reach. A stout wire 

 shaped as at A is fastened with staples to a 

 long handle, and a canvas bag fixed as at B. 



Fig. 2 shows how the fruit is gathered. 

 The Apple or Pear is lifted in an upward 

 direction by means of the front of the wire 

 hoop, and falls into the bag. 



Fig. 3 shows a convenient form of ladder 

 for gathering fruit from medium- sized trees. 



Figs. 4 illustrate how boxes and barrels in 

 which Apples are stored should be raised 

 from the floor to allow a current of air to 

 pass underneath. 



Fig. 5 shows how to form tiers of lath 

 shelves for storing. 



Fig. 6 shows how to arrange shallow trays 

 having lath bottoms. The pieces of wood in 

 the four corners of the trays allow them to 

 be arranged in 

 tiers one above 

 the other, 

 thereby econo- 

 mising space 





A useful contrivance for storing fruit : it consists 

 of shallow boxes that fit into a framework 

 of shelves. 



