Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1864-1865, 1864-08-26
GATHERING AND KEEPING
FnTIT.
I, l. becoming well understood
principlethat tears 90 Improved by

being gathered before fully ripe
Some should approach rcarcr matu
rity than Others. lat early apples
shoald be fully ripe, Is = general
rule, before gathering. Late fail
and early winter apples should not
be eatablc when picked, and oil the
late winter varieties should be gath
crcd when too hard TO yield to the
pressure OF the thumb, and always
before heavy fall frosis. \ dry time
shOull1,e selected, possible. There
will be few specimens not yct ma
turc, but you can afford to throw
them out 90 save The best and main
crop. When q good keeping variety
begins 70 drop freely from the tree,
"a is sometimes the ease, secure the
balance Of the crop that remains or
the tee as soon as possible; but they
should not be mixed with those on
the ground-not one should be saved
with those picked. Windfalls will
not keep, for in addition TO the in
jury sustained from the fall, they
become heated by lying upon the
ground exposed TO tho sun and hot
mir, and the ripenina process already
commenced is fastening it to n rapid
decay.
No matter how hot the weather is,
an apple is always cool while upon
the tree, and in that condition should
he taken caro- OF, il we would have
it keep in its most perfect condition
for the full development of all the
delicious juices with which it is so
abundantly supplied. How to obtain
it in that condition will be my pur-
pose now TO show. We have seen
that il must be carefully gathered
before it is too ripc, Us it is com
monty termed; but / say before 1t is
ripe, for when it is ripe it is fit TO
cat, and that should not be the case
with winter apples when gathered.
We have also seen that heat hast
ems the ripening process, and that
cold retards it. Apples should there
fore be kept cool, barely so as not to
freeze. a minimum temperature OF
thirty four degrees is probably about
right, with as little fluctuation ms
possible. IL is not for the purpose
Of assuming TO know more than the
most OF you about the best method
Of keeping apples, that | give the
subject so large a space in this adj
dress, but it is to give it more prom
inence in our deliberations than it
has heretofore had. regard it as
one OF the points very much over
looked in oil meetings of this kind
Whether We regard the ripenine
process as vital or chemical ac-
ton, il Is quite sure that it should &C
on gradual anil unchecked until al
the good qualities are fully devel
oped, and when the highest point Of
excellence is attained, then the fruit
should be used. 1t is never so GOOD
rs when just fully ripo-but is fire.
quently eatable for a long time
Some varieties become dry and
mealy, others tough and leathery
Others, by being kept very cool, vii
frequently remain in n very good
condition for very long time, or by
the use of artificial means may bC
kept for an almost indefinite period
i hold that the ripcning process
once commenced, goes on, no matter
how cold, if frost is not present
slowly, perhaps, but uninterrupted
", until full maturity. Hence the
importance of 4 cool cellar, which
should always he dry and dark. II
should be frequently aired, when the
outside temperature will allow of it
Some varieties arc much more sensi.
tive to their treatment than others
The WInesap, for instance, which
has thick skin, may be abused :
great deal in handling AMI bat in
differently cared for in the cellar
and yet it viii keep pretty well; thai
is it will rot but little; but, if kept
close and warm, it is subject TO {
fungus that renders it scarcely toll
cradle to eat. But if it is kept COO
and dry, all its best qualities are re
tained 1t is also one of the varie-
ties that do best to keep on open
shelves. The Belmont, on the other
hand, which / regard rs one Of the
best and most profitable apples, is
very impatient of bad treatment
It's skin is smooth and thin, and
flesh of delicate texture. If rough
ly handled and kept in a warm room
it soon decays. If carefully handled