THE FLORAL WORLD AND GARDEN GUIDE. 
241 
ON GATHERING FRUITS. 
BY A SUBSCRIBER. 
[HIS is a most important point to be attended to ; for 
upon tbe manner in which fruits are gathered depends 
the success of their keeping, in whatever manner they 
may be preserved. No fruits should be gathered when 
dew is upon them, or in dull, cloudy weather. On this 
important point every gardener agrees. I cannot too severely con- 
demn the mode of gathering the more common fruits, as apples and 
pears, at one sweep ; although a common practice even with the best 
of gardeners, it is a bad one. All fruits should be gathered as they 
arrive at maturity, and that in the most careful manner. It, how- 
ever, often happens, even in the most congenial climates and 
situations, that a portion of the fruit of the same tree, and even of 
the same branch, will arrive at maturity some time before the others, 
the ripe portion should be gathered immediately, and carried care- 
fully to the fruit-room, which should be cool and dry. Here they 
may be laid upon the shelves, or tables, as the case may be, and 
covered over with canvas, to prevent evaporation, and to keep the 
dust from settling upon them whilst the remainder is gathered, 
when the whole should then be immediately packed for preservation. 
There have been many plans recommended for gathering the more 
delicate fruits, of which I entirely disapprove. What I would re- 
commend is to gather them by the hand in as careful a manner as 
possible, and lay them gently in baskets, previously padded, and 
lined with some soft material, such as wadding, and carried without 
delay to the fruit-room ; the shelves should be previously covered 
with canvas, or some such material. In good gardens, I would 
recommend that the fruits which are in any way difficult of being 
detached from the tree should be cut off the twigs with a pair of 
sharp scissors, into a padded basket held beneath for their reception. 
This may be considered to be a tedious way of gathering fruit. I 
grant it is. But if we consider, we will see that the fruit thus care- 
fully gathered will repay the trouble by keeping longer fresh and 
sound. I can boldly assert that there is more fruit injured by im- 
proper gathering and storing, than by any other means. In proof 
of this, if gardeners would take an apple or pear which has been 
gathered in the usual way, and lay it aside for a day or so, then 
carefully peel it, they will find it bruised, though not observable 
before. How does this happen ? I answer, that it occurred during 
the operation of gathering, carelessly laying them in cane baskets, 
and in carrying them to the fruit-room ; they are also hurt in mov- 
ing them from one shelf to another. It is a general practice in large 
gardens to intrust the gathering of fruits to persons who are regard- 
less how they gather them, and this is a source of much mischief, as 
the fruit is often much injured by them. It was a common practice 
(and in some places now) to allow the fruit, when ripe, to fall of its 
own accord, and many plans have been adopted to prevent the fruit 
from injury by falling on the ground. Fruits allowed to remain on 
August. 16 
