Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-25

the picking box, first throwing q
loose sack into the box, so that It
will break the fall of the fruit. The
basket being oval, one end is put into
the box and then withdrawn, leaving
the fruit in the box, and bruising avoid
ed. Some take the fruit from the bas-
ket by hand and place it in the box.
This is very safe, but time can be saved
by my way, but care must be used.
After the first basketful is emDtied the
loose sack can be gently taken from
under the lemons and used for the next.
The size of picking boxes is immaterial.
| use boxes that are "a inches long, 10
inches wide and inches deep. Do not
expose the fruit to the sun after clip
ping, and remove it in the boxes care
fully the same day into the hallway of
the lemon house. When clipping lem
ons do not leave long stem, as in ham
ding the stem will injure the fruit next
to it.
HOW TO KEEP FRUIT.
We place our boxes of lemons in the
hallway of the lemon house, if in early
winter on the south side, If in late
spring or summer on the north side,
next to the outside boarding of inside
room. The main doors are kept closed,
the ventilators open, and the ex-
cessive moisture will evaporate
from the fruit in about four
weeks in winter months, and from
two to three in summer; then put the
lemons away. Now provide yourself
with trays Just the size of raisin trays,
only deeper; the ends should be one and
one-half inches deeper, and nail a lath
on each side to keep the fruit from roll
ing out. have utilized my raisin trays
and nailed one and one-half inch pieces
on the ends. Select one corner of room
which, to prevent loss of space, could be
made little larger than is necessary,
for number of tiers of trays. Under
each tier put closed empty tray-or
two would be better-as find the fruit
next to the bottom as we'll as top cures
faster and shrivels more. Upon this
foundation put your tray for the first lot
of lemons, which carefully empty from
the picking box. 1t would be best to
begin two tiers of trays at once, so that
the lemons that are left over from fill
ing the first tray, with only one
layer, can be put on the sec
ond. Of course throw out as you
come to them all imperfect fruit. In this
way you build up your tiers of trays as
AlSu do YOU COnNCuICnblf GALL using
your empty picking boxes for staging.
Lastly cover the top trays with one or
two tight trays. In this way you fill
your room and keep your inside doors
open for few days, and afterwards
close through the day and open through
the night, according to the moisture in
the room, which should be kept COM
paratively dry. After the lemons are
once put away on trays, and if they have
been properly cared for before, and the
rooms looked after as l have advised,
there will be no need OF disturbing them
until wanted for packing, even if it is
for six, eight, ten or twelve months
after. A few will spoil, say from to 10
per cent. Although the lemons at first
touch each other in the one layer on the
tray, they will contract so that if any
spoil they will not often affect the next
one, and the few spelling lemons give
little necessary moisture to the air of
the room. This is all. You can look in
from time to time to notice condition
If ventilator is put in the ceiling of
inner rooms you will have to be careful
of draughts, and perhaps use less door
opening and closing.