Goodwin's Fruit Gatherer

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


A great quantity of fruit is spoiled in the gathering, by being allowed to drop on the ground, or else the tree is much injured when they are violently pulled off by hand, as the small branches are liable to be broken. This simple little device, cheap and light, is one of the best we have seen foi" gathering fruit, neither spoiling it or damaging the tree. Any child can use it, and every one who gathers fruit should. It consists of a light frame of cast iron, B, to which a bag is stitched, and it is placed on a pole, A. In recesses at each end of B is placed a small cutter, c and e, so that all the operator has to do is to pass the device round the fruit, and in pulling it down or pushing Zl it up, the knife cuts the stalk of the fruit, | C which drops undamaged into the bag. The jpj fruit gathering season is coming on, aad all who want to know more concerning this convenient little assistant to the orchard labors, should apply to the inventor, F. Goodwin, of Astoria, L. I. A patent was obtained November 10, 1857. They are for sale by Belcher &Haviland, 246 Pearl st., New York.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 13 Issue 46This article was published with the title “Goodwin's Fruit Gatherer” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 13 No. 46 (), p. 368
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican07241858-368a

It’s Time to Stand Up for Science

If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.

I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.

If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.

In return, you get essential news, captivating podcasts, brilliant infographics, can't-miss newsletters, must-watch videos, challenging games, and the science world's best writing and reporting. You can even gift someone a subscription.

There has never been a more important time for us to stand up and show why science matters. I hope you’ll support us in that mission.

Thank you,

David M. Ewalt, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe