The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-10-28
PICKING the Apple Crop.

The INQUIRY is often made, at
what time should we gather our
winter apples, and in what month,
and on what day? No definite rule
as TO the time can be given; the
best period will vary with the vari-
ETY.. as well as with the same fruit
IN different seasons, and the latitude
will of course modify the time.
If they are gathered too soon, they
will not have reached their full fla
yor, and the specimens will be liza
bic to wilt and dry up. If left too
long they will be blown off by the
wind, and bruised by the fall. and
over ripe fruit will be more subject
to premature decay. Apples which
keep best are those which are fully
ripe, and which are filled with rich
Juices, with a hard exterior. The
best knowledge as to the true time
is obtained by applying the well
known rule in Judging of the matur-
ity of pears, namely, by lifting up
the fruit to a horizontal position,
and if the stem cracks of at the nat
ural place of separation, 1t is time
The crop were gathered There will,
however, oe a difference in this time
with the same sort on different trees
as we'll as a difference on the same
trees,
Ifthe crop must be all gathered at
once. the owner should examine a
number of specimens. and take the
average time, or when the largest
number is in the right condition.
This will apply to market orchards,
where refined distinctions of time
cannot be made. But in a small
orchard, the fruit of which is intend
ed for home or family use, one-half
of the crop consisting OF the rlpest
specimens, which are shown by their
color and the freedom with which
they separate from the branch, may
be picked first, and in week or two
the remainder, the ripening of which
will be all the better for the removal
of the first half Some varieties ripen
nearly all at the same time; but
with others it usually happens that
the fruit natures In succession Tor
two or three weeks, and where prac-
ticable it will be worth the addition
al trouble to gather them in success
sion as they become fully matur-
ed.
These suggestions are made more
particularly with view TO encourage
a more careful examination OF the
ripening fruit, in order to arrive at a
knowledge of the best period, a mat
ter which is too often neglected or
overlooked, and the crops gathered
too much at random, or in accord
ance with convenience from other
work.
Much diversity of opinion exists
on the propriety of allowing apples
to "s0eat" before they are packed
awav for winter use This opera
ton and its nature are very inn
perfectly understood by many orch
ardists. 1t has two causes-one OF
which is the condensation Of the
moisture of a warmer atmosphere
on colder fruit, and the other the
evaporation of surplus of water IN
the fruit, which is partly from its
natural juiciness and partly from
excessively moist weather. The ne
cessity for allowing it 10 take place
depends greatly on the condition Of
the apartment in which it is stored.
If it is quite damp, the fruit depos-
tied in 1t, if already surcharged with
moisture, will be likely to decay.
But il the apartment is quite dry,
the apples will be sufficiently sub
jected to the drying process without
further trouble. But moisture will
do no harm in an apartment kept at
the freezing point.