The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-09-07
WHEN TO PICK THE FRUIT,
BYE. I. HARRINGTON.

PernapS IL Will De remembered now
the Hoosier poet expresses, the delight
of the small boy in the verse which
reads
"oh. watermelon time is comm round
again
And there amt anybody Twin and tickle
der n mcp
Apparently small boys have ways of
their own to test the ripeness of water
melons. In any event, IL they make
a mistake it is seldom that anybody
knows it. Older people often follow
the advice of the Southern nanny:
BE sure when you thumps 'em that
they always sound PUNK" This is a
pretty good rule when you are famil-
lar with the right kind of sound, yet
different varieties have certain pecul-
iarities of their own. Some kinds
seem to have a metallic sound even
when ready to harvest.
1t is one of the satisfactory features
of a home garden that the products
thereof may be harvested at just the
right moment to have them at their
best. Muskmelons purchased in the
market have to be picked before they
are dead ripe or they do not endure
shipment They can be left on the
vines In the home garden much later
than it is possible when they are to be
shipped away. The right time to pick
your melon is just before it would nat
urally part from the vines. Then the
stem begins to crack and the melon
emits a most delicious aroma.
Strawberries, raspberries and black
berries are never so good as when
picked just before they are ready to
drop. This is more especially true of
the dewberry, which is kind of run
ming blackberry. Until it is dead ripe
this berry is not sweet, but there is a
very brief time when it is one of the
most luscious fruits ever put into ones
mouth.
1t is very different with some other
fruits. Pears, for example, especially
the early kinds like the we'll known
Clapp's Favorite, must be picked be-
fore they ripen on the trees. Other
wise they will almost invariably start
to rot at the heart. If they are taken
of week or two in advance and
stored in a dark place they will ripen
UP gradually and fairly melt in the
mouth. All pears. for that matter, are
best harvested before they are wholly
ripe. In many gardens where the pear
trees are bearing heavily this year
there will be more of this fruit than
can readily be eaten out of hand, and
of course the early varieties will not
keep long, even in a cool cellar. One
of the best ways to utilize them and
prevent waste is to bake them. Baked
pears eaten with cream form a most
delicious dessert. Pear butter is an
other delicacy which will be appre-
ciated when winter comes.
Plums should be left on the trees
until they ripen. They do not decay
nearly SO rapidly as some other fruits,
and often are very good to eat out OF
hand even if left until they fall. 1t
| doesn't take much sugar to can the
sweet plums, and they make good
winter sauce.
All kinds of apples are better for
being allowed to ripen up we'll on the
trees. 1t is a common plan for grow
ers to let the early apples known as
Williams fall to the ground, not going
to the labor of picking except to pick
them up. To prevent the fruit from
being bruised spread a thHk covering
of straw on the ground under the
limbs. Williams apples harvested in
this way are sent to market and sold
without difficulty.
There is one simple way to deter
mine when apples are ready to pick
| and that is to let a specimen rest in
| the palm of the hand and then to push
the hand gradually upward If the
apple parts from the spur Immediately
| or even with slight twist it is ripe
enough to gather. 1t is important not
10 break off the fruit spurs at harvest
time. for it is on these, spurs that the
fruit OF succeeding,years will be borne.
For this reason it is poor practice to
climb around in apple trees, for con-
! siderable damage may be done in that
way.
The picking of all fruit which grows
on trees is best done by ladders which
can be moved about readily and
pushed into the trees without break
ing the branches. A kind very COM
monty used in fruit orchards comes
together at the top much like a wish
bone. Such ladder is easily pushed
up into the foliage. Another type of
ladder is somewhat similar to an easel
except that it has two supporting rods.
This ladder does not have to be rested
against a limb, and is particularly
useful when harvesting cherries. There
are ladders which may be moeed
around on wheels and which are very
convenient in an orchard of some size.
one such ladder which has been
patented can be utilized for picking
the fruit from even tall trees. As it
does not rest against the branches the
picker can work even TO the ends of
the limbs and harvest all fruit without
danger of personal injury or of dam
aging the trees.
OF course, winter apples are har-
vested while hard, but they should he