Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1858-09-24
From the New England Farmer.
Keeping Winter Apples.

"Aprlos have never kept better than the
pasI winter" Is very common remark.
Now we need only to look Mt the uniform.
steady cold Of the past season, and we dis
cover one pretty essential condition for pre-
serving fruit.
Apples will not freeze when water will
bot a very low temperature will injurc
the fruit for preservation, when the mcrcu-
~ rises. Perhaps it is bcst to keep the
cellar at about 81 degrees.
4 great many absurd ideas prevail about
keeping apples. One man in this town fills
his barrels in tho fall, and then throws in
paul or two Of well water \ good many
fll the barrels and head them tight, and
leave them under the trees, on tho damp
ground, exposed to all the storms. Some
head Up, and pile the barrels, and cover with
few boards. The apples in ,hese cases are
out Of sight, but are damaging. Let US
see how
The sweating" Of stones is a familiar
spectacle; or Of the pitcher Of ice water up.
on the summer dinncr.iabc. The we'll.
known explanation Is, that the watcry par
tielcs tho vapor in the a'mosphere-is
CONDENSED as II comes in contact with
colder body, and falls upon it. surface.
Now apples, when cold, act upon the
warm air like cold stones, or the iced wa
ter pitcher. The apple is covered with
highly vanished surface, as smooth and as
imp,ryious to moisture as the glazed water
pitcher.
1t mus, be seen tha; ireqGen, showcring
alter the fruit has ripencd will slowly dis
solve this beautiful varnish, which Nature
has - delicaiely laid on. II you break
through the hard enamel Of the tooth. the
bony part has,eps to decay. II the skin Of
the apple is injured, in like manner the pulp
soon perishcs.
SO no reason TO believe in the "sweat-
ing" OF applcs, by which is meant, that
moisture passes out Of them; | think /, a
mistake. When kcp, in thick bodies, or
when closely confined, rs in barrels, mois-
ture will collect upon them. have en-
deayorcd TO show the true cause. The
amount Of moisture, however, will depend
upon the sudden changes OF the tempera-
,ure. II will never bs seen, | imagine,
whore apples arc KEEP; a, an even temPcra-
turc.
When apples are packed in barrels, and
bceome damp. as thew invaribly will, every
impuyi,y aboa, the barrel mouders and be.
comes offensive. ApPl,s TaFidly absorb
foul olor., aud how often the hne, natural
flavor Is gone, and an earthly, Gshworm, or
musiy and offensive one, substituted.
had the impression once that apples
must bo " headed up" ever to sec the
spring. have proved, by uany years eI.
plriencc, that some kind. will endure till
SUNNI, il lelt in open barrels or boxes. l
prefer bins to hold apples. The apples keep
better, and are sorted with more dispatch,
to say nothing Of less room being required
tor storing the same quantity.
Apples tha, are intended Tor spring sales
should be gathered more carefully. They
orgh; never to be turned from the basket to
the barrel. 4 little care here will sayc
much future loss.
have some further thoughts upon this
subject, which defer iIll a future time.
Iwi,h, Mr.. Brown, that You would "call
up" a- you do 50 successfully, as President
Of our Farmers Club, Mr.. Simon Tuttlc, OF
Acton, Mass. lis large experience in win
tsripg apples entities him to the floor;
which, for him, | now ehccrlGlly yield.
w ID. d.
Concord, Mass. March IS, 1856.