How to Ripen Hard Pears.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 410, 17 April 1937, Page 3

How to Ripen Hard Pears.

Certain kinds of pears are very hard. When they have to be picked and are quite, uneatable, states an exchange. Later on these will often get ripe all ,at once, and it is quite likely there are more pears than one knows what to do with. Before they can all be eaten many of them will go rotten. Here is a method of ripening pears (that are as hard as wood) just when they are required for use. For the purpose there will be needed a goodsized wooden box of fair depth. Have a' cover for the box of such a size that it will fit inside the box and not rest on the top, and -enough clean bay to fill -the box. Select -a. number of the pears which it is wished t)o ripen and then start by puitting a layer of bay about six inches- deep in the bottom of the, box. On the top of this put out the pears so that they do not actually touch one anothqr. Then cover with a deep layer of hay —if there is room, another lot of pears may be added to be again covered in. Then put the wooden cover on 'tTie top of the last lot of hay and stand something very heavy on top. A few of the big Weights from the scales might be used, some large books, or even tw’o or three bricks. The idea, is to get the pears in the hay under a heavy and steady pressure, in four or five- days the pears may be examined, and it is usually found that some of them have become soft and sweet. Not all the pears will be fit to eat at once, and those- which are still hard must be put back for further pressure. By this plan many kinds of hard pears which are usually regarded as only | lit for cooking may be rendered soft and eatable.