152 
Garden Work 
the worst shoots the first season, others the next season, 
and so on, manuring the trees when necessary. The fruit 
then produced, though less in quantity, will be much 
superior in quality. 
The picking of apples and pears should be carefully 
done, especially if they are to be stored. When the fruit 
can be plucked off the tree easily, or when found to be 
falling off itself, it is quite ready to be gathered. A further 
test is to cut one in half and look at the seeds. If these 
are plump and brown, the fruit should be gathered at once. 
If a strong wind comes about the time that apples are 
ready, it may play havoc with many of the best of them. 
Therefore, though they should not be gathered prema- 
turely, it is wise to gather before the dropping stage. All 
fruits should be gathered in dry weather. 
The fruit room should receive special attention, as it 
depends upon its suitability whether a good supply of 
apples is obtainable during a time of the year when fruit 
is scarce and expensive. It should be cool and airy, 
and constructed so that there is as little change of tem- 
perature as possible. The walls should be of good, strong 
boards, and should be double, allowing a space of from 
4 to 6 in. between them. This space may be filled with 
sawdust, or any other non-conducting material, and the 
roof should be thatched with a heavy coating of straw, 
heather, &c. This should keep a very uniform tempera- 
ture. There should be a ventilator in the roof to let out 
any moisture given off by the fruit, and the windows should 
have movable shutters. There may be a central tier of 
shelves, as well as shelves all round the sides, or there 
may be tiers of drawers which will enable more fruit to 
