The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1874-08-08
The Gathering of fpe Er,i,

III.
The following is by Joseph Hooper.
celebrated trmt-grower and writer on
horticulture, OF Pennsylvania, and will
be found seasonable and useful to the
| fruit grower:
g In regard to the gathering of ripe
fruits OF different kinds, no fruit should
be taken from tn tree or plant during
a damp time, and especially when the
dew IS plentiful in early rrorninp.
Never be so hurried as to find any cause
for the excuse. / had no time to hand
pick my fruit, and consequently was
forced to shake them off, for such is
poor policy. Fruit so gathered will al
most inevitably decay from the effects
OF bruises. Each specimen should be
taken from the tree one by one, handled
as II they had been SO many eggs. The
highest brIlse II abrasion of the skin
IS the sure forerunner of Il dark SPOT
which Will eventually change into some
form OF rot. The spores of seed of
.Tu52gi are always ready to assist III the
work Of dissolution, and the slightest
scratch gives them Il fOothOld for their
destructive work. Scarcely any variety
of the largest fruits color and ripen so
well If lett to perfect themselves on the
tree, and especially is this true in
respect to pears. Summer varieties as
they approach maturity, loosen their
hold somewhat on the limb, and by
gently raising the fruit they viii easily
detach themselves at the proper period.
This IS an excellent test, and NAV al
ways be relied on. To color up fruit
nicely, all that is necessary will be to
spread blanket on the floor Of a cool
room, and then thinly and evenly place
the fruit on the floor. Ascend blanket
must be spread over them, and in q
short time the effect Of this treatment
will be apparent in the most golden
cOlored Bartietts, and rich, ruddy-
looking Seckels imaginable. Pears
perfected in this manner rarely
have the mealiness of their naturally
rlpened companions; nor do they pre-
naturally decay at the core rs when
left on the tree. Peaches are too fire.
quently gathered before attaining the
full size, and when this is the case we
need not expect good flavor They
must obtain this requisite before gath
eTlng; although 1t Is not necessary to
delay picking until very mellow. As
general rule all small fruits are gather
ed too early; and, as high color is not
sign OF maturity, many experienced
frult-grOwers are frequently misled.
Never pick strawberries because they
are red, nor blackberries solely on ac-
count OF their dark appearance. Each
should remain on the plant for some
time thereafter. The Albany Seeding
strawberry changes to a deep crimson
hue, and gains continually in size after
It's first coloring process. 1t is then
soft and excellent eating. And so with
blackberries in like manner, many com
planning of their extreme tartness, when
the fruit was in gathering imperfect
fruit. The Lawton or New-ROchelie
variety inparticular, is delicious eating,
if allowed to remain on the plant until
soft, when the slightest touch will sever
its hold. Strawberries picked with the
calyx (or hull) adhering viii always
carry better and be less liable to decay
than if carelessly pulled off without
this appendage. The foregoing re-
marks III relation to the proper time for
gathering fruits are equally applicable
TO the grape. These generally color
long before they are mature; and thus
many a novice in fruit culture frequent
ly forms an unjust opinion of his
varieties simply from testing unripe
specimens. Grapes should always be
severed from the vine with strong scis-
sors or trimming shea,Js, and never
twisted or broken off.