254 THE FRUIT GARDEN. [SEPT. 



kinds of pears, should be eaten from the tree, or 

 within a few days after they are pulled; they should 

 never be allowed to drop, and they lose much of their 

 flavour by keeping. The other kinds of pears and 

 apples in general, should not be pulled till their seeds 

 are of a dark brown or blackish colour. In gather- 

 ing and storing these fruits, great care should be ta- 

 ken not to bruise them. They should be laid singly 

 on shelves, in a dry well-aired room. Do not lay 

 them on moss or hay, (a thing often done), as they 

 thereby contract a very disagreeable flavour. If they 

 are placed on any thing else than a clean shelf, it 

 should be on fine paper. Brown paper gives them 

 a flavour of pitch. The finer large kinds of pears 

 should not be allowed even to touch one another, 

 but should be laid quite single and distinct. Apples, 

 and all other pears, should be laid thin ; never tier 

 above tier. 



Free air should be admitted to the fruit-room al- 

 ways in good weather, for several hours every day ; 

 and in damp weather a fire should be kept in it. Be 

 careful at all times to exclude frost from the fruit, 

 and occasionally to turn it when very mellow. 



Of destroying Insects on Fruit-Trees. 

 Never lose sight of this object, even when the 

 crop is gathered. Therefore resume the watering 

 and scourging with the engine, all apricots, peaches, 

 plums, &c. that are disloaded of their fruits, for the 

 suppression of the red spider ; for, from the respite 

 this little enemy has had, he will now have become 

 very formidable again. This is not only necessary 



