The sun., 1919-10-19

place a stepladder on this wagon
reaching from the wagon rack to near
the top OF the tree. but this method Is
somewhat hazardous. No progressive
fruit grower will be satisfied to climb
through the branches of the trees to
gather the fruit, since this method is
not only dangerous. but lacking in
speed.
JottinEs for the Fruit Grower.
cannot give any date for picking
any class of fruit since so much de-
Ponds upon the locality and the sea-
son and local conditions. Ordinarily
fruit is left too long upon the trees.
In such cases the autumn winds rem
der unmarketable a large part of the
fIuit. II the fruit is picked when not
fully matured II will be lacking in
quality and color. A row of rapid
growing poplars at the windward side
Of an orchard has proved to be a great
advantage to the orchardist.
Pears should always be picked before
fully matured. In most cases pears
are left too long upon the trees, in
which case some varieties are liable to
rot at the core. This is particularly
the case with Clapp's Favorite. Fruit
lovers often place the pears in drawers
similar to bureau drawers, where they
are laid not over two pears deep. They
should be kept in the dark and in
rooms only moderately cold. These
rules are applicable principally to
fancy fruit growers, such as may be
seen in large cities like Boston, New
York and Philadelphia, coming into
town with a large basket of large and
beautifully colored fruit, their hope be-
ing to astonish their city friends with
their home produce.
Some Of the winter pears will never
ripen unless brought into a warrmish
room at the proper period. I allude to
such varieties as Winter Nelis, jose
rhine, Wicker and Lawrence. This
year picked my Bartlett pears nearly
three weeks later than my neighbors.
1t is surprising how long the Bartlett
will remain on the trees without
ripening. but after picking they ripen
rapidly.
wintering Fruits.
There ID not much danger OF the
fruit room being too cool. A cellar in
which a furnace Is running all winter
is a poor place for storing fruit or
vegetables. since ii Is too warm. The
temperature should be as near the
freezing point as possible and still not
freeze. The basement Of O barn OF
other outbuilding sometimes proves to
be an ideal place for keeping apples
and pears In barrels. Occasionally
when the thermometer indicates there
is danger Of freezing all that is neces.
sary is to throw blankets over the
tight barrels to prevent freezing.
have known apples to freeze hard and
yet, II not moved during the frozen
condition, come through the win
ter in prime condition. Apple:
buried In pits on dryish knoll where
water will not accumulate usually come
out in fine condition in the spring
Care should be exercised that the GOV.
ering is not too heavy. The covering
should be light in the early part of the
winter and increased with strawy littel
later in the winter. when more severe
| freezing occurs. have known apple!
to come out in the spring in perfec,
condition covered only slightly with
leaves that happened TO fall upor
them in the orchard. This illustrates
how easy 1t may be to winter fruit
when we learn all the necessary cordi
tons. One OF the most notable ant
valuable features of the apple is it
tong keeping characteristics. in which
| raSDact ~ axceIs all other fr1iita
| CHARLES A. GREEN.