Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/462

426&#93; 426] F R U water : tliesr. vessels should be kept constantly full, and the water be renewed every 10th or I'ith day 5 a similar jwrtion of the vege- tative liquor being added each time. In order to ensure success, the glasses ought to be placed on the corner of a chimney-piece, where a lire is regularly kept iu cold seasons. FROST.— In the " Giomale Encyclopopdico' of Vicenza, M. De Sax Martin'o recommends the following expedit;nt for pre- serving trees from the injurious effefts of frost. This desirable ob- ject is accomplished by depriving those Uees, which in cold climates require to be protedled, of their leaves, at a period somewhat ear- lier than their natural decay in autumn. The sap will, conse- quently, be less copious in .the vessels, and will circulate more slowly, while it becomes thicker j so that it will not freeze so readily; and, even if it should congeal, its vo- lume will not be so much enlarged as if it were in a more diluted stale. In adopting such expedient, how- ever, it ought to be observed, that the leaves must be plucked gra- dually, at three or four ditferent periods, so that the trees may be divested of their* foliage before the usual time of its falling ; for, if the whole were suddenly removed, the circulation of the sap would be checked, and the tree would pro- bably perish. FRUIT-TREES.— In this arti- cle we have stated a few circum- stances, the knowledge of which may serve to ascertain the maturity of fruit, and consequently the pro- per time for gathering it.— The fol- lowing directions for picking, pre- serving, and packing it tor car- FRU ringr, we insert on the authority of Mr. Forsyth. All apples, pears, &c. ought to be carefully gathered by hand, and laid in baskets containing dried grass, to present them from being bruised ; and, if they fall sjvinta- ueously, some dry barley-straw or pease-haulm, should be prepared for their reception on the ground : in the latter instance, tl>e fruit ought to be separated from, and sent to the table before that which is collected by hand ; and such, as may be accidentally bruised, ought to be reserved for culinary pur- poses ; because it cannot be long kept in a sound state. When all the fruit is coUefted, it should be conveyed to the store- room ; laid gently in small heaps, on dried grass ; and their tops be covered with short grass, in order to sweat. Here it may remain for about a fortnight; during which time each apple, pear, &c, must be occasionally wiped with a dry woollen cloth, and those exposed on the surface should be placed to- wards the middle of the heap. At the end of this period, all watery ingredients that may have been im- bibed during a wet season, will be evaporated : the heaps should then be uncovered, and each article carefully wiped ; separating those which may be injuretl, or uiitit for keeping. — During this process of sweating, the windows of the store- room, excepting in wet or foggy weather, ought to be continually open, in order ■ to discharge the moisture perspiring from the fruit. TIk; usual mellxKl of storing apples, pears, &c. consists in lay- ing them on clean wheaten strawy but, in this case, it will be neces- sary to examine them frequently, aud