392 / ~The Principles of Fruit-growing. 
which answers the purpose so well as a strong, nim- 
ble boy who is not afraid to climb. In many or- 
chards, the long and cumbersome ladders may be 
almost entirely dispensed with if this requisite is at 
hand. For getting into the tops of fruit trees, a 
short and very light ladder with three or four rungs 
is exceedingly useful. This little ladder will also aid 
greatly in the gathering of fruit which hangs upon 
the lower limbs just out of the reach of the picker. 
The ladder is stood upright and the picker mounts 
it quickly, crossing his legs over the top one or two 
rungs, and holds himself crect by grasping a limb 
above his head, as shown in the illustration (2, 
Fig. 82, page 391). This is a type of ladder which 
is much used by professional top-grafters. 
The various kinds of fruit-picking devices which 
are upon the market are useful only for gathering 
the few outlying fruits upon the tall and far-reaching 
limbs. It is never practicable to use them for the 
picking of the entire crop, except in those very rare 
eases in which the erop is small and all the fruits 
are fit for the dessert trade. The labor of picking 
with these devices is slow and onerous. One of the 
best types of fruit-pickers is shown at 5 in Fig. 83, 
Notre.—A variety of ladders is shown in Fig. 82. No. 1 is a light ladder 
with a wheel, allowing it to be wheeled like a wheelbarrow when it is 
shut up, as at 4; 2, the short ladder, not requiring support, described in the 
text above; 8, a German device for securing a support to a ladder, allow- 
ing the two supporting legs to be shut together; 5, a pointed Jadder, with 
support; 6, similar ladder, without support (very useful in till trees); 7, plat- 
form Jadder; 8, wagon rigged for picking, the planks y, y (upon which the 
picker stands) being swung around lengthwise the box when driving from 
tree to tree. 
