The Sun.
London, England, 1862-09-03 00:00:00

HINTS ON GATHERING FR Ul7.

Most people are disposed to gather the autumn fruit too
soon. They see the days shortening, they hear the trees
creaking in the wind, and they find the ground strewed with
windfalls ; and from these premises the jump at the conclu-
sion that the fruit ought to be gathered. But a certain per
tentage of a crop may fall, from various causes, before the
crop is ripe. The diseased portion will lose its hold, or the
wind may dislodge what is sound, long before the portion
which remains firm is fit to gather. A rule is generally
adopted by gardeners, that if the pips of apples or pears are
turning brown the crop may be taken ; but we should rather
say that a decidedly dark and settled hue of the seed is a
safer criterion. As to the objection that waiting late into
the autumn causes a loss of the fruit by falling, it has little
weight, because it is by this process that the weaker and
least sound fruit is got rid of, while the best remains. Taking
tho crop too early will not only injure the good fruit by
causing it to shrivel, but will also render frequent removals
necessary in order to separate from the stock the rotten
ones, which would of themselves have fallen from the tree
if more time had been given.

A most important matter is gathering the fruit without
bruising it in the slightest degree. Apples and pears
bought in the market are generally much specked, by
which their beauty is spoiled ; and most of this is occa-
sioned by blows received both in gathering and in rolling
the fruit from one basket to another. This can scarcely be
avoided when orcharding is carried on largely; but ama-
teur gardeners cannot well give too much attention to ga-
thering their fruit. Any falling should be obviated, and
what does fall should be placed separately. Mr. Glenny,
in his useful" Handbook to the Fruit and Vegetable Gar-
den," says—" In gathering, pears and apples should not
have the slightest bruise—the dropping from the hand to
the basket, although not a foot below, would do a great
deal of mischief, because even that slight bruise would en-
sure a rotting to begin there before any part began to
decay, and the decay would commence sooner or later ac-
cording to the violence of the bruise." We find a coat with
deep side-pockets better than a basket hung to the ladder
—the usual mode of gathering; such receptacles are quite
under command, and may be made to hold a good deal.
The kind of weather during which the gathering is per..
formed is a matter of importance. The trees should be
thoroughly dry, and a windy day is to be chosen, if pos-
sible.—Gardener's Weekly Magazine and Horticultural
Cabinet.

G 0 U.N7 MARK :1 S.

..1..,

LEEDS—TUESDAY.
New wheat sells at 3s to 4s decline upon last Friday's
rates ; no inquiry for old.

LIVERPOOL—TUESDAY.
In wheat a quiet business was done, and the lower grades
in many instances were at a decline of fully 2d per cental.
Indian corn and flour were dull, and partially 3d to 6d
cheaper.

LYNN—TUESDAY.
There was a moderate show 'of wheat ; new 2s cheaper.
Old sorts dull. Some samples of new barley shown. Oats
camb tolerably to hand, and late prices unchanged.
White ..58s to 64s I Barley 3os to 34s
Red.. s6s to 60s I Oats .22s to 26s
Beans .40s to 44s I Peas —s to —s

MARKET HARBOROUGH—TUESDAY.
The supply of English wheat was small to-day, and
sales made in favour of buyers. The trade was very dull.
—Old wheat, 58s to 63s ; new, 56s to 60s per 36 stone.
Barley at 33s to 36s per qr., grinding 29s to 33s per 30 st
Oats, 25s to 30s; new, 23s to 27s per 24 at.; beans, 38s to
43s per qr.

SHEFFIELD—TtrEsDAy.
At to-day's market there was a good supply of wheat
from the farmers, and late prices met with a decided fall.
Barley met with a slow demand at late quotations.
Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...22B Od to 2380 d
White
1) , ...23s 6d to 258 6d
New red
;
...21s Od to 22s Od
New white „ ” ...238 Od to 24s 6d
Beans
)2
If
...16s Od to 19s Od
Peas, per qr 548 Odt o 58s Od
Grinding barley, per qr 3ls Od to 36s Od
Malting ditto, „ .. 3BB Od to 42s Od
Oats
1; 23s Od to:3os Od
14.
Mlbillers' prices for flour-2s ld, 2s 3d, and 2s 5d per

MELTON MOWBRAY—TUESDAY.
The following were the Currencies :—White wheat, 58s
Od to 62s Od; red, 55s Od to 59s per 36 stone; beans
sold at 42s to 50s for old ; new sorts, —s per 38 st. ;
barley, 355; to 40s for malting, and 31s to 32s per qr. for
grinding; oats, 23s to 33s Od per 24 stone.