Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-09-09

Gathering and Preserving Fruit,
~ R01HrRY Erssrrr.

M EoXuJHr EUssIrr.
Whoever would derive large profits and
pleasure from his orchard. must he prepared
TO take care OF hls fruits, as after they are
grown they have to be gathered and prcsery.
81 and the better this part Of the work i
done. the more Pro6Jf will be obtained.
Besides. il Is the preservation which ena-
BE. the iruit-groWsr to put his valuable
varieties in market when they are worth the
most money.
The hes, mode Of gathering A. yet known
/, Nv hard with the aid Of -sli-surporiing
ladders. and small baskets, cushioned on the
inside. There arr various contrivanccs, and
some Of them really meet all the require
mcnts wanted. with exceptions that they
u.c on too much time These coutrivanccs
answer for amateurs, but not ior farmers.
Every fruit taken from the tree should have
h. stalk unhrokcn. IL should De- gathered by
hand. and PLACED IN the basket. carefully
and lightly, not allowing it 70 drop, or 20
knock against other fruit, or against any
substance that would hruisc il in the slight
e., degree. The same care should he taken
IN removing the frui, when gathered to the
frai, room, or place where they are 10 Dc
kent They should not be removed IN a
wagon or wbccl.barrow. They should De
carried ia large baskets on a hand-barrow.
hr that j. he only method by which they
can escape certain amount Of ioliing.
The sooner winter fruits are rymoved to
where they are 70 be kept, after being gath.
cred, the better. The usual place Of storing
them 3, in cellars, where there are no spec
iAl fruit roous provided for them. II they
have % be kep, IN barrels. each barrel
should be clean anI dry before the irui, i
put INTO them, Then they should bc laid
in a. carefully as " they were eggs, !or
good keeping winter apples ere worth as
much, and gool winter pears are worth a
great deal more. But though It Is the
pactice 20 pot fruit in barrels 20 keep, Il;
isn5; one that can DO rccommrndsl, unlss,
ite fruit is about 20 b. mt % market,
within a short time. When in barrel. al
-, fruit cannot he Inspected and watched,
the dscayei or dccaying ones removed, and
good supervision maintained.
Shelves arO much better, and these shelves
might be 80 arranged and divided that each
subdivision would bold the produce Of a
single tree. By thus keeping tho fruit Of
each troc separate, there would BE- less dan.
cvr % spo,lin.. Trees Of the same variety
frequently grow fruit very different in quail
iiy. and while the produce Of ,omc will De
staLby and wormy, the fr-it Of other trees
will De- iree from these delecis. A range Of
shelves, each one capable Of holding iron
fys 10 six bushel, or two barrels. wogld ac-
commoIatc an orchard very well. For q
trye that produces two barrels OF choice
fruit worthy Of being KEEP: over, may Be
considered fret rate tFec and an orchard
that coauins 6f,y % these tres : fret
rate paving investment. By keeping sorts
SEPARATE, and even the growth Of each tree
fron each other. much sorting and picking
will b. avoided. No frui, should 20 upon
shelves iha, Is not frst rate in quality. The
eullinss, which may be used or sold, could
D. rre-eryei either in barrels or on The door,
tll cut rid % by sale OF otherwise.
The fruit room should De- a cellar, capable
% h,in, well Ventilated. and made dry De.
fore the fruit is placed in it, bot afterwards
it should DO kept elo-c, dark, I'D the tenn
psature should at an times range between
yjs and 4j' Farcuheit. Lish, and heat
both act ln the fruitanI cause is to mature,
and maturity is alway, followed within a
sb,r, period by decay. Hence all fruit,
sa0lll De- gathered a. a period before they
bccome quite ripe. The low temperature
snI the exclusion Of light delays the time Of
maturity, hence the keeping quality.
\ French writer in the Revue Horticole,
al.o claims that al the carbonic acid eyoly-
Cd from the fruit, should, IL possible, bo
retained ia the ro0m. Hence after the fruit
D, put IN it. place, ite nom ought not 10
Ventilated. as this would permit this sas to
escape. and al-o change the temperature.
The same writer also charges On good
ground. that all moisture or humidity
should BE- kcp, oas Of the fruit room, as il
Likewise promotes Decomposition, bot the
ar should not be too dry, as then the fruit
would dry up and wither.
!, is calculated that a room Is feet long,
l. feet vide and Q feet high would hold
'ael,e, enough ior 5000 large sized winter
apple, OF p,ars, allowing each one to oeeu-
~ an area OF four inches square, 80 that DO
fruit would touch each other. Allowing
ljJapplcs to bushel, would make room
Gr about COO bushels Of apples, not one Of
wh,ch would touch the other, Or a. least
1910 bushels where they were piled two IN
height Those who have good cellars for
iruii will now 80 the advantage Of them
bas We should prefer room in the orchard
built under the shade OF the tres, in the
manner Of an ieo-house. with double walls,
doors and windows.