The herald., 1897-06-17
Edited by Prof. A. j. Cook.)
Picking Fruit

the distinguished authority on ali tina
relates to horticulture, writes very in
teresting article in the New York Trib
une, in which he urges more care in tn
picking of fruit. Mr.. Gregory gives tn
result of a very interesting eXperimen
tried by him during the last season.
very heavy wind felled from the trees
great many of his apples. The orchart
was in grass, and as q result the ap
Piles were not very seriously bruised b,
the fall. Knowing the apples would b.
very high in price. Mr. Gregory conceived
the following experiment: He remov
ed all apples that showed the least eff
feet of bruise and carefully placed tht
others by themselves. Later in the sea.
son Mr.. Gregory looked over this fruit
again and removed all Of the fruit that
even then showed any signs of decay oil
blemish He then picked the fruit or
the trees with the greatest care, TAX
ing special pains that no possible injury
should be done a single apple. At the
same time he again looked over the other
lot, removing any that al this time show
ed the least affection The fruit was
now cared for in the same way, and
when the period of marketing arrived
while a large proportion of the wind
falls were unfit for market, only very
small proportion of the apples picked by
hand were in the least affected. The
profit from the picked apples was very
greatly in excess of that from those
which the wind removed from the trees.
The lesson which Mr. Gregory draws
from this experiment is certainly very
important one, although it is possible
that he does not take sufficiently into
consideration the fact that very possibly
the apples which the wind removed
were already in some degree ailing, the
very reason that they were removed by
the wind. This unknown factor would
in some degree, perhaps in no very large
one vitiatle the experiment. The writer
of this article has had no little expert
ence, and much more observation in
just this direction, and he knows of
truth that the greatest care in picking
fruit is exceedingly important if we wish
to be sure that it Will keep for a long
time. This is certainly true Of all de-
ciGuous fruits. and most especially so of
fruits Hike cherries and plums, which are
thin skinned. That it is equally true
with citrus fruits, especially with
lemons, no experienced fruit grower need
be told. 1t is very important that every
fruit grower secure a good reputation
for his fruit This viii require that
his fruit keep for long time. and that
no taint or blemish come to mar It's
beauty. 1t probably will pay large per
cent on the extra cost if every fruit of
all kinds be so carefully handled as TO
not be in the least jammed. In case Of
the ,.io i
sells for picking are very desirable. while
handpicking is absolutely essential to
the best profits, where long keeping is
at all requisite. 1t is also very import
ant that great care be exercised in turn
ing the fruit from the picking vessel into
another box or basket. The point to be
remembered is simply this: That fruit
must not be in the least jammed or
bruised. Some of the orchardists on the
Sacramento river have gained a very
great reputation for their fruit This is
true whether the fruit is destined for
the Sacramento or San Francisco mar
kets or for the more distant shipment to
the east. OF course in this last case If
is all the more imperative that the very
greatest pains be taken that no fruit be
marred or injured as it is gathered from
the trees. AS this benefit lasts for
years in the permanent reputation
which is given through such care, it
means more than immediate extra
profit. OF course the fruit will sell for
good deal more today, but the prospec-
tive increase in value because of a rep
utation that the fruit has keeping quail
ities and can be held for rising market
VIII make the sum total of profit very
much greater, We know of a good many
fruit men whom the purchasers always
seek out for their fruit. and who can al
ways make their own prices. One of
the reasons for this superiority comes
from this very fact of great care in gath
ering fruit. Mr.. Garcelon, at the River
side institute placed very great empha-
sis upon this matter in discussing success
in growing and marketing the lemon.
He said that no man could hope to meet
with the best success who ever LET
lemon fall, even the shortest distance.
The fruit must be laid in the receptacle
and not thrown into it,