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38 



PICKING. 



There are three things essential to safe and rapid apple 

 picking; an ordinary light step ladder, a couple of light 

 handled baskets measuring half a bushel, with a hook 

 attached, and a smart man or boy who is not afraid to 

 climb. The ladder is the least essential article of the three. 

 If trees are properly trimmed, they will allow a man with 

 a basket to move freely about. An ordinary iron will serve 

 to hang a basket on a tree while it is being fillec^. Apple 

 limbs are strong, and they will hold a boy or man much 

 better than is generally supposed. It is quickness and 

 agility rather than lightness that makes a good picker. 

 I know from experience that a young man may be of more 

 service in an apple tree than any fruit-picking machine. 

 When one basket is filled it is handed down and another 

 returned. A bag strapped to one's back in the manner used 

 for sowing grass seed is a nuisance on a tree. 



A cheap and simple picker may be made by bending a 

 wire into the form of a circle six inches in diameter, with 

 one side prolonged three inches into a V shaped projection. 

 On this wire sew a cloth bag a foot or so deep, and fasten 

 it to a pole by the side opposite the V. This V shaped 

 projection will serve as a corner in which to catch the 

 apple and pull it off, allowing it to fall into the bag. A 

 strong, light step ladder will usually be necessary in picking 

 round the outside of the tree. A pole with a hook on the 

 end is also convenient for pulling down limbs, or to hook 

 off stray apples, if one does not use the picker. 



Take a two horse waggon with box on. P^ace two cross 

 pieces, one at each end ; let them extend nearly to the 

 wheels, put & plank on the board about a foot wide on each 

 side length-wise of the box ; fasten them together with 

 spikes or nails, and chain to the box. Hitch on a steady 

 team and drive under yotir tree. You have a good chance 

 to pick, standing on the planks which lie fiat. Then let 

 one or more men ascend the tree, and hand down their 

 baskets to the man standing on the planks. Begin to fill 

 the back of the waggon first. You have thus a rig whereby 

 you can pick a good share of the apples from a tree and 

 have a good place to stand while doing it. When the box 

 is filled start for the barn or f ruithouse. Pick up the apples, 

 leaving leaves and limbs. Put blankets in the bottom of 

 the box. Then you have your apples under shelter, and 

 can sort and pack any time you wish — rain or shine. ^ 



