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stage of ripeness being brought down. ‘A similar process is used 
when gathering prunes. 
‘Plums may be picked almost green for distant shipment, as 
they colour in transit. This ig even more noticeable in the case of 
the Japanese plums, which ripen and colour very well when stored 
in a cool, dark place. 
Cherries and plums, if allowed to hang too long, are severely 
affected by the fruit-rot fungus. For the same reason they should 
always be picked when dry, or else decay will soon consume them. 
When picking cherries and plums the stem should be cut off with 
the thumb nail, and the fruit itself should not be touched, lest the 
delicate bloom be rubbed off. 
Persimmons have not yet been shipped away to any large ex- 
tent, although they lend themselves to long shipment, as they are 
picked when well coloured but still hard, and on keeping soften and 
mellow. When the consumers learn what stage that fruit should 
be eaten in and acquire a taste for it, a large trade will develop. 
With careful packing, they would travel long distances and open 
up at the end of the journey sound and good. 
Figs are picked when fully ripe; they do not ripen after pick- 
ing, and do not become sweeter than when cut from the tree. As 
they do not ripen all at once, the trees must be gone over daily. A 
ripe fig is soft to the touch and is generally wrinkled and hangs 
downward. Some kinds, when ripe, show seams or cracks on their 
jacket. For drying, they should be cut when they contain about 
one-third of their weight of sugar; for eating, they may be gathered 
when they are sweet and palatable. They should on no account be 
shaken off the trees, as bruised figs soon sour, and a few such would 
spoil a whole box full. Pulling the figs from the tree will also 
injure them. The proper method is to cut each ripe fruit clean off 
the branch and carefully place it in boxes or trays. Those figs 
which hang high up the tree, beyond easy reach, may be picked by 
means of a readily-made appliance, consisting of a light pole with a 
jam tin with sharp edges, nailed to its extremity. The edge of the 
tin is pressed against the soft fruit stalk of the fig, which it cuts, 
and then the fruit drops into the tin. 
Grapes are best picked when fully ripe. If picked when just 
coloured, but tart, they won’t ripen further. The bloom always 
shows when grapes ripen. Care should be taken, when picking the 
hunch, to hold it by the stem, which is then snipped with shears. 
Karly, tender grapes, with soft skin will travel better if picked 
before they are fully ripe. More fleshy grapes, on the other hand, 
gain both as regards quality and appearance if allowed to hang 
until sun-kissed and quite ripe. 
Gooseberries may be marketed either green or ripe. It is con- 
sidered less exhausting to the bush when the smaller fruits are 
