48 FRUIT HARVESTING, STORING, MARKETING 



from squeezing one against the other. Apples are 

 picked with stems on largely for the sake of looks, but 

 partly also because the removal of the stem may give 

 a chance for decay to begin. 



The following schedule shows which fruits are 

 usually picked with stems on and those which are 

 usually removed from the stem. There are some ex- 

 ceptions to this classification, but they are local and 

 unimportant: 



Picked with stems on Picked with stems off 

 Strawberry Plum Raspberry 



Gooseberry Pear Peach 



Currant Apple Apricot 



"^ Grape Quince Blueberry 



Cherry Persimmon Juneberry 



IV. CONVENIENCES AND INCONVENIENCES 



In all the European books on horticulture, and 

 consequently in all the early American works, there 

 are described various fruit pickers. These usually 

 consist of long poles surmounted with some contriv- 

 ance for pinching, twisting, or cutting ofE the fruit, 

 and with a receptacle for catching it. Such things 

 are merely curiosities on a practical modem fruit farm. 

 There is no need to describe any of them here. 



Picking shears are used in gathering grapes. The 



form most popular 

 in this country is 

 here illustrated. 

 These can be 

 bought of any deal- 



FIG. 7 — PICKING SHEARS FOR GRAPES ^^ ^^ hortlCUltUral 



AND OTHER FRUITS supplies, and cost 



