GATHERING THE FRUIT. 



57 



quince stocks, should not be suffered to ripen on the 

 tree ; the summer and autumn varieties should be 

 gathered before they are quite ripe, and left to ripen 

 in the fruit room. 1 The late pears should be gather- 

 ed before the leaves take their autumnal tints ; if suf- 

 fered to remain too long on the trees, they frequently 

 never ripen, but continue hard till they rot. In most 

 seasons, the first and second week in October is a 

 good time ; but much depends on soil and climate. 

 The following passage from that very excellent work, 

 Downing's " Fruit Trees of America," is appropriate 

 to this subject : — 



" The pear is a peculiar fruit in one respect, which 

 should always be kept in mind — viz., that most varie- 

 ties are much finer in flavor if picked from the tree, 

 and ripened in the house, than if allowed to become 

 fully matured on the tree. There are a few excep- 

 tions to this rule, but they are very few. And, on 

 the other hand, we know a great many varieties 

 which are only second or third rate when ripened on 

 the tree, but possess the highest and richest flavor if 

 gathered at the proper time, and allowed to mature 

 in the house. This proper season is easily known, 

 first by the ripening of a few full-grown but worm- 

 eaten specimens, which fall soonest from the tree ; 

 and, secondly, by the change of color, and the readi- 

 ness of the stalk to part from its branch on gently 

 raising the fruit. The fruit should then be gathered 

 — or so much of the crop as appears sufficiently ma- 

 tured — and spread out on shelves in the fruit-room, 



1 Pears that ripen in September and October should not be gathered all at one 

 time, but at intervals of a week or so, making, say, three gatherings; their season 

 is thus much prolonged. 



