234 . * TREATISE ON THE CULTURE AND 



bottoms of the large bafkets and hampers, to prevent the 

 fruit from being bruifed. 



Obferve attentively when the Apples and Pears are ripe ; 

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

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

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

 will fometimes be a month or five weeks difference in the 

 proper time of gathering. The method that I have practifed 

 is, to obferve when the fruit begins to fall (I da not mean 

 what we call wind-falls, or the falling of fuch as are infefted 

 with the caterpillar, &c), but found fruit ; I then put my 

 hand under it ; r and, if it comes off without any force being 

 nfed, I take it for granted that the fruit is perfectly ripe ; 

 unlefs the tree be fickly, which is eafily known by the leaves 

 or fruit being fhriveled. if the foregoing obfervations are 

 attended to, the fruit wall keep well, and be plump ; and not 

 fhriveled, as is the cafe with all fruit that is gathered before 

 it is ripe. 



The perfon on the fteps fhould pick the fruit carefully, and 

 lay it gently into the bafket on the top of the fteps ; for if it 

 be in the lead bruifed it wall not keep. For the fame reafon, 

 great care mult be taken in emptying the fruit out of the 

 hand-bafkets, when full, into the large ba&ets or hampers. 

 If more than one large . bafket be wdieeled at once, which may 

 generally be done, the lower ones muft not be fo full as to let 

 the bottom of the upper one touch the fruit : it will alfo be 

 iieceffary to put fome of the foft dry grafs. between the bafkets^ 

 and alfo over the fruit in the upper bafket. 



When the fruit begins to fall of itfelf, cover the ground; 

 mnder the tree with fome of the ihort grafs mowings, or, if 

 that cannot be procured^, wdth fome peafe-haulm, or oat or 



barley 



