MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT TREES, kc« 235 



Barley ftraw, quite dry : this will preferve the fruit from 

 bruifing when it drops: the fruit which thus falls of itfelf 

 fhould be laid up feparate from, and ufed before that which 

 is hand-picked, according to the feafon in which they are fit 

 to be fent to table. Should any be bruifed by falling on one 

 another, they fhould be thrown afide, as only fit for baking, 

 or to be given to the pigs. 



When all the fruit is gathered in, rake off the fhort 

 grafs, &c. and throw it up to rot, or mix it with dung, or 

 leaves of trees ; for : f it remain on the ground during the 

 Winter it will harbour Hugs. 



When the bolt of the fteps is taken out, and the ladder and 

 back part feparated, the ladder will then be fit to ufe in 

 gathering fruit off wall trees ; only it will be neceffary to 

 fcrew on the upper part of it two pieces of iron, or nail two 

 pieces of afh or oak, about fix or eight inches long, to keep it 

 far enough from the wall to prevent the tree from fuftaining 

 any damage in the bark or branches ; which would infallibly 

 bring on the canker. 



When the fruit is carried to the fruit-room, lay fome of the 

 dry fhort grafs on the floor in the area of the room ; then take 

 the fruit gently out of the bafkets, and lay it in heaps on the 

 top of the grafs, keeping each fort in a feparate heap ; the 

 heaps may be from two to three feet high, or according to 

 the quantity of fruit that you have. When the heaps are 

 completed, cover the tops at leaft two inches thick with 

 fhort grafs, in order to fweat them. Let them lie, a fortnight, 

 then open the heaps and turn them over, wiping each Apple 

 or Pear with a dry woollen cloth, which fhould be frequently 

 dried during the procefs, obferving now to lay in the middle 

 the fruit which before was at the top. Let -the heaps now 



H h 2 remain 



