STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 73 



the commercial orchard, therefore, we sny, at the earliest practica- 

 ble moment after fully grown and colored, while yet quite hard, 

 pick and dispose of, even though a week later, might sliow a mate- 

 rial advancement in prices. 'I hey will ripen to a certain extent 

 after bgiug picked, and at this stage of ripeness they meet the 

 requirements of the purchaser, will stand up well for distant ship- 

 meut, and relief is afforded to the tree which at once begins to 

 store away its supplies, to restore exhausted nature and equip itself 

 for another crop. 



Prices arc quite apt to advance later in the season, and the 

 temptation to allow the fruit of sorts not inclined to decay to stand 

 on for a week or two, is hard to resist. 



Ten pound baskets that have been selling at seventj'-five to 

 eighty cents have advanced to SI. 25, and finally to $1.50. One of 

 my friends with a crop unlhinned and double in quantity what the 

 trees should have been burdened with, had this question to meet a 

 few years since. He allowed them to stand, until finally he picked 

 them from the ground and $1.50 per basket. A severe winter fol- 

 lowed, and with little power of recuperation left, many of the trees 

 the following spring were gone, while others have not regained 

 their lost power. An object lesson worth remembering. 



AYe believe that our fruit should be carefully picked in baskets 

 provided for that purpose, carted or removed to the packing house, 

 and if the weather be hot, allowed to stand until cool, or if pos- 

 sible, picked only in the morning and late in the afternoon, so that 

 when packed for shipment no heat may be found in the fruit, and 

 that the best results will be found in the observance of these rules, 

 the fruit should be carefully sorted, packing and marking all 

 inferior fruit as No. 2. 



We believe that the best results in fruit growing are often 

 obtained by giowing a variety of fruits, hence, we should say, if 

 practicable, in connection with plums grow more or less of small 

 fruits — sour cherries and pears, but in any event, plant more than 

 a single variety of whatever you may plant and so alternate varie- 

 ties that you may be sure of cross fertilization or perfect poUena- 

 tion of your bloom. Our highest authorities on this subject to-day 

 urge it as one of the most important measures to be considered. 



