iCh^ ^m&tufs <PontMg. 827 



Pruning can be done at all seasons and for the 

 mosi diverse objects, I am always prepared to re- 

 move a branch, although the bulk of our trees are 

 cut in March and April. 



To prune for a conical tree, each branch should 

 be longer than the one immediately above it ; and 

 if the operator will adhere jto this rule — keep the 

 tree open and encourage an upward growth, all 

 will be right. 



We practice summer pruning (which is simply 

 removing or pitiching back the young shoots in 

 July) on some varieties to bring them into bearing. 

 But most kinds, when carefully pruned, will begin 

 to produce fruit the fourth and fifth year from the 

 time of planting. I am well satisfied that proprie- 

 tors are much to blame for allowing young trees to 

 overbear. A great many eases have come under 

 my observation where I could trace the cause of 

 premature death to allowing young trees to produce 

 fruit. 



For two or three years after planting, root crops 

 can be grown between the rows without material 

 injury, if the land is kept in "good heart," and 

 the weeds not permitted to grow. Deep plow- 

 ing in the orchard should not be attempted atter 

 the third year ; shallow surface disturbance is all 

 that is required. 



G-ATFIERING Fruit. — The proper time to remove 

 fruit from the tree is soon learned by experience ; 

 the eye detects at once the specimens that will 

 ripen without shrinking when taken to the fruit 

 room, or packed carefully in barrels and placed in a 

 cool, dry cellar, where the light can be excluded. 

 The whole crop should not be gathered at one 

 picking, except all are equally advanced. Our 

 plan is to go over the orchard three our four differ- 

 ent times, and only remove those at each picking 

 that show signs of maturity, and by lifting such 

 specimens gently by hand, they separate easily at 

 the end of the stem. There is, frequently, a differ- 

 ence of ten or twelve days in the date of ripening 

 in fruit grown on the same tree. Choice fruit, 

 whether for home consumption or market, should 

 be hand-picked, laid carefully in baskets or barrels, 

 assorted and removed at once to the fruit room or 

 cellar. Most pears, when ripened off the tree, 

 are superior in quality to those left on the tree until 

 they are ready for use. 



Marketing Fruit. —Notwithstanding all that 

 has been written on the subject of sending fruit to 

 market, yet from one-half to two thirds of the 

 pears shipped to New York arrive in a damaged 

 condition, owing, in most cases, to careless sorting 

 and bad packing. It is not unusual to find large 



fruit on top and small and inferior specimens to- 

 wards the centre of the package. This trick is de- 

 tected at once by the dealer, and the fruit is dis- 

 posed of as second, third or fourth quality. Every 

 pear in a barrel or basket should be nearly of a 

 sige, to ensure a ready sale and the highest price. 

 If this rule is faithfully adhered to, the brand will 

 be sought for by a class of customers who patron- 

 ize hon>est packing, and will pay even more than 

 the market price, when they are certain of getting 

 a good article. The following directions for pack- 

 ing pears I wrote for the Working Farmer^ some 

 months ago : — 



"When the fruit attains the proper stage of 

 ripeness for shipping, pick the Pears by hand, and 

 put them in baskets ; or, take a barrel, turn it up- 

 side down, and remove the bottom by driving off 

 the hoops. Then place some cheap white paper 

 inside, over the lid, etc. Fruit looks better when 

 the barrel is thus Uned. The Pears are then laid 

 on their sides, closely together, until the top of the 

 barrel is covered. A second layer is added in the 

 same way as the first. Continue in this way until 

 the barrel is one-third full, then shake gently, so 

 that the fruit will settle without being bruised. 

 This shaking should be repeated at different times, 

 until the barrel is full, when the pears should be 

 placed in such a position that the bottom of the 

 barrel, when pressed in, will come in direct con- 

 tact with the last layer. The hoops should be put 

 on and four small nails driven through them, to 

 keep them and the bottom in place. The barrel 

 may then be marked 1, 2 or 3, so that the con- 

 signee may know the quality of the fruit without 

 opening each package, although he should alwaj^s 

 be advised by mail of the number of packages and 

 the €|uality of fruit shipped, 



"In some instances, choice pears command 

 higher prices when packed in nevv half barrels; 

 and when these are used pack in tlie way de- 

 scribed for barrels. 



" When pears are packed in this way, if the lid 

 is taken off, each pear lies close in position, and 

 the appearance piesented is inviting to the pur- 

 chaser, and they will always command the hi<ghesfc 

 market prices. It requires only a little practice to 

 become quite expert in packing fruit in the way 

 described. When baskets are used, they should be 

 lined with white paper, and the pears laid in care- 

 fully by hand ; shake the basket gently occasionally, 

 so that the fruit will settle, and fill the basket a 

 little above the level of the rim ; then the covers 

 are put on and the fruit forwarded with as much 

 care as possible to its destination." 



