,( 155' ) 



CHAPTER XXV. 



OF GATHERING APPLES AND PEARS. 



The Time and Manner of Gathering them ; and of the Manage- 

 ment of the Fruit-Room Of Packing Fruit for Carriage, 



As Apples shaken or beaten down with a poie never keep 

 in winter, they ought all to be hand-picked, by a person stand- 

 ing on steps made on purpose. 



The steps should be light, for convenience of moving from 

 one place to another ; and so contrived, that the ladder may be 

 disengaged from the back at pleasure ; which may easily be 

 done if they are fastened together by a bolt at top. There 

 should be a broad step at top to stand on, with room for the 

 basket which is to hold the fruit. When you begin to gather 

 the fruit, you should be provided with hand-baskets of different 

 sizes, and also with large baskets, or hampers, and wheel-bar- 

 rows. You must lay some short grass mowings, perfectly dry, 

 (which you ought to provide for the purpose in summer, and 

 keep in a shed or any other dry place till wanted) at the bot- 

 toms of the large baskets and hampers^ to prevent the fruit from 

 being bruised. 



Observe attentively when the apples and pears are ripe ; 

 and do not pick them always at the same regular time of the 

 year, as is the practice with many. A dry season will forward 

 the ripening of fruit, and a wet one retard it ; so that there 

 will sometimes be a month or five weeks difference in the 

 proper time of gathering. The method that I have practised 

 is, to observe when the fruit begins to fall (I do not mean what 

 we call wind-falls, or the falling of such as are infested with 

 the caterpillar, &c. but sound fruit), I then put my hand under 

 it, and if it comes off without any force being used, I take it 

 for granted that the fruit is perfectly ripe, unless the tree be 

 sickly, which is easily known by the leaves or fruit being shri- 

 veled. If the foregoing observations are attended to, the fruit 

 will keep well and be plump, and not shriveled, as is the case 

 with all fruit that is gathered before it is ripe. 



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