128 



BIGGIE ORCHARD BOOK 



peach without really squeezing- it. The eye, and this delicate 

 sense of touch, become trained to work together. 



A basket hung from the rounds of 

 a ladder is inconvenient to reach. Fit 

 an iron in the shape shown in the cut, 

 and you can then have your basket at 

 the side of the ladder, in the handiest 

 of all positions. A few wooden pegs 

 up and down the ladder will keep the 

 iron from slipping-. A blacksmith can 

 make it in a few minutes. And here's 

 the picture of a double-basket holder 

 for hanging on to a tree limb. 



Wilmer Atkinson says : " We pick all sound apples from the 

 trees into tin pails, gently pour into slatted bushel-crates, and 

 take them to our cool ' apple mow ' (once a hay mow) . This 

 storage place has been double walled and lined, and keeps our 

 winter apples until May. We do the sorting in the winter." 

 (See Chapter XX for further particulars about this simple 

 method of cold-air storage. J. B.) 



A well-known Pennsylvania apple grower has issued to his 

 men the following- printed rules for picking : 1. Pick lower limbs 

 first. 2. See that the ladder is pushed into the tree gently so as 

 not to knock off or bruise the fruit. 3. Hang the kettle or basket 

 so as to be able to pick with both hands. 4. I,ay the apples in ; 

 do not drop or throw them. 5. Pick no specked apples. 6. Pick 

 no small, green ones. 7. Do not take much time in picking a few 

 little apples out of reach, let them go. 8. In emptying, pour 

 gently, as you would eggs. 9. Do not set one basket or crate on 

 another so that the apples below will be bruised. 10. lyift and set 

 down gently all filled crates. 11. Use spring wagon in hauling, 

 avoid rough ground, and go slow except on smooth road. These 

 rules are necessary for the proper harvesting of the crop. 



" When swallows on the barn roofs Perch, to chatter of their flight, 

 When hints of frost are in the air, and crickets chirp at night ; 

 Then come the Pleasant days we love in Autumn's mellow Prime, 

 The j oiliest days of all the year the apple-picking time. 

 For the laden boughs are bending low o^er all the orchard ways, 

 The aPPles^ cheeks are burning red, and father smiles , and says 

 Some sparkling morn : 'I think today we might as well begin ; 

 Be smart now, boys / you'll need a week to get those apples in.' " 



