Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 202, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1914 — MORE ATTENTION TO HARVESTING FRUIT CROP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MORE ATTENTION TO HARVESTING FRUIT CROP

By M. W. Richards,

Horticultural Department, Purdue University Experi-

ment Station, % Purdue University Agricultural Extension.

Great thought and attention is given to the harvesting of every crop but the fruit crop. The women and children of the farm pick the early fruit needed for Immediate consumption, and the remainder is allowed to hang on the tree until it drops. Winter fruit hangs until the rush of farm work 1b past and It is then either dubbed or shaken from the tree by the men and all ran Into the storage cellar, where it la stored In bins along with the farm vegetables. Later in the season this fruit is found to be a rotten mass and the crop is blamed rather than the man who handled 1L Annually enough fruit la rained In Indiana by rough treatment at harvest time to supply the market of Indianapolis for months. Even If the trees haven’t been properly sprayed, pruned and thinned the. average Indiana orchard will produce a goodly percentage of sound fruit Why rain these sound specimens left by the bugs, by careless handling at harvest time? Fruit is a perishable product and, should be handled as such. Every specimen which is totended for storage should be hand picked. Use ladders so that all parts of the tree can be reached and so that the picker win not injure the tree with his boots. Grasp the fruit I

carefully, taking great care not to braise it Give It a slight lift and a twist, and the stem will part from the fruit spur without damaging that most important part of the tree. Carefully deposit the fruit in a basket or pail—never use a bag as it tends to braise the fruit by allowing It to roll with every move of the picker. After the fruit la picked it" should be carefully sorted and all Injured specimens culled out for Immediate use. Only absolutely perfect specimens should be saved for storage. Carefully pack the best fruit in barrels or boxes and store them in a dean, cool cellar. Place the late winter sorts at the back and bottom of the pile so that the earlier varieties can be reached while they sire in season. By careful handling at harvest time fruit.from evpn.uncared for orchards can be made to last their full season when plaoed In satisfactory storage. Remember: Careful handling at harvest time Is half the battle In fruit storage on the farm.

Carefully Sort All Fruit Intended for Storage. Bruised, Rotten and Wormy Fruit Will Not Keep and Wilt Contaminate the Bound Fruit