190 



THE HOME OECHARD— APPLE, PEAR, QUINCE 



Too often the surplus fruit is unmarketable. When the season is 

 favorable other fruits such as apples will readily take their place on 

 the market and the price of pears is comparatively low. 



Harvesting the Fruit. — Pears are more subject to damage by 

 bad handling than apples. The fruit should invariably be picked 

 before it is soft. As soon as the pears are full grown they should be 

 carefully removed by hand and laid in single layers in baskets 

 lined with cloth. They should then be placed in single layers in 

 crates, covered and kept in a dark cellar or similar place. They 



Fia. 116. — Two methods of packing apples in boxes. At left, start of 2-2 diagonal pack. 

 The box holds four layers of 24 apples each. At right, start of 3-2 diagonal pack, with small- 

 er apples. The box holds five layers of 33 apples each. They are placed in layers in the 

 order in which they are here numbered. (Indiana Station.) 



will ripen readily in the dark and will attain highest flavor and 

 best quality. When ripened in the dark they have less of the 

 gritty tissue in the flesh of the fruit. 



Many varieties of pears are not suitable to store, but should be 

 consumed, marketed or canned as soon as they have reached 

 their highest perfection. 



QUINCE 



This fruit is not commonly grown in the home orchard. A few 

 trees will supply the needs of the family. 



