ORCHARD FRUITS 79 



When blown down they are nearly always more 

 or less damaged by being scratched or bruised, 

 gnawed by rabbits, pecked by chickens, and vari- 

 ously injured by numerous other destructive 

 agencies. 



" Another reason is that some varieties are sub- 

 ject to rot at the core if left on the tree till ripe, 

 and scarcely any variety is of so good a flavor. In 

 case one wishes to show a few fine specimens at 

 the fair, it is a good plan to tie a paper bag over 

 them to protect them against possible injury until 

 it is time to gather them. 



" The time to pick may be known by the pears 

 assuming a yellow tinge. The moment this can 

 be detected they are ready and should be gathered 

 at once. Do not pull or jerk them off, but simply 

 raise them gently so as to bend them back on their 

 stems. They will then snap off without effort; a 

 straight pull will find them very tough and te- 

 nacious. Lay them away in a dark, cool drawer 

 on a soft cloth. Wrap each one in a piece of soft 

 paper. The paper absorbs the moisture and keeps 

 them from contact, which disposes to rot." 



THE PLUM 



No fruit will replace the plum. It makes the 

 choicest of preserves, and many of the varieties are 

 unsurpassed as dessert fruits. Every farm should 

 have at least a dozen trees of various varieties to 

 extend the season, as Professor Ballou outlines 

 below: 



The plum does best in rather strong, rich clayey 

 loam, but even on soils that are rather light it does 

 fairly well, though the tree is less vigorous. In 

 planting orchards, a convenient distance is 16 to 20 



