78 MAKING HORTICULTURE PAY 



HARVESTING PEARS 



" My method of harvesting the pear crop," says 

 Ely Blackwell of Mercer county, New Jersey, " is 

 to make the first picking entirely of number ones, 

 sorting on tree. I use 16-quart tin pails and empty 

 into barrels, facing two layers on the head right from 

 the picking pail, then emptying in the rest, shak- 

 ing the barrel every time a pail is emptied. Fill as 

 high as staves, carefully placing top layers so head 

 will settle down evenly when screw pressure is 

 applied. 



" In about two weeks I make the second picking. 

 Then the orchard is picked clean. The pears now 

 are placed in heaps for sorting under a tent, which 

 we move as needed. We also use tent in picking 

 the first time to shelter barrels and tools. The 

 second picking is sorted in two grades. We get a 

 fair percentage of number ones this time, as some 

 were missed in the first picking and some that were 

 too small are now large enough for first grade. 



" This method of sorting on the tree applies only 

 to the fruit picked by my son and myself. If we 

 have one or two helpers, they try to pick number 

 ones the first picking, but the pears they pick are 

 emptied out and my son or myself or a trusty 

 man sorts them over. I never permit any hap- 

 hazard packing. I always have barrels neatly sten- 

 ciled, with name of variety and grade, and my own 

 name." 



" All kinds of pears will ripen if picked a week 

 to a month before they are ripe. For several rea- 

 sons it is much the best plan," writes L. R. John- 

 son of Missouri, " thus to gather and store them 

 away. One is, as they mature they drop easily, 

 and a hard wind often blows off great numbers. 



