Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-11-04
.Anrinultnral.
Care In Gaiherlng AnnIes.

In gathering apples, care must be excr
cised towards two thngs--the fruit itself
and the tree that produces it. There has
been a marked Improvement in packing APP
pies during the past few years; but the opo.
ration is too often bunglingly performed
even now. The skin Of most apples is sufh.
oienily strong to protect the fruit it cover,
for a considerable time if il remains unn-
jurcd. But any puncturc it receives, or any
brtise, however slight, is certain to invite
decay Besides this, the appearance Of the
apples is very much injured by careless hand
ling even when they are to be used soon af-
ter being picked. The red colorcd apples
receive less injury in this respect than those
which are white or yellow but even these
are good deal dis6gurel
No apples, if we except those intended for
cider, should ever be allowed 10 fall upon the
ground, but should be picked from the tree,
each specimen separately, carefully placed in
a basket, and in that manner taken TO the
barrel For some delicate varieties, like the
Northern Spy, the basket should be lined
with flannel, or have coating Of soft moss
or wilted grass. Similar care must be cxer-
cised in packing such delicate fruits into the
barrels, aud in taking them to the collar
Apples should never be picked in other
than a dry day, commencing after the dew
has dried off in the morning and closing be-
fore it commences to fall at night. Many
orchardists prefer to place their apples in
heaps unprotected or covered with straw, to
undergo a sort Of sweating process for few
days previous to putting them into barrels
but apples are bound to keep equally well
when put Immediately into barrels, though it
may be preferable, in the case of some few
varieties, to leave them unheadei for few
weeks previous to storing them away. Pla-
cling them in layers will save space, and will
prevent their getting bruised by moving about
in the barrel. 1t is always best to store APP
pies in room that is both cool and dry: a
building above ground is best for the purpose
ill the weather becomes too severe for safety.
When It is desirable to insure the keeping Of
apples for considerable time, they should
be wrapt in soft paper after the manner Of
But it is quite as necessary to see that
the tree receives no injury at the time of the
apple packing, as it is to look out for the
safety Of the fruit. Many fine trees are an
uolly injured by mounting the bark by the
heel, or by bracing ladders against it. Nor
is it rare thing to see a tree beaten with
clubs, pelted with stones, or dashed with sap
lings. Another great injury which trees re-
ceiye, is that Of breaking off portion Of the
fruit stem with the apple, thereby diminish
ing the fruit prospects for another year The
apple should be divided from the twig on
which it is produced, at exactly the point at
which it would separate, if it was left to fall
from excess Of ripeness. If it does not part
there readily, the thumb and finger should
aid the separation at the proper point for if
the stem is pulled out of the apple, it is al
most certain Immediately to commence to de-
cav.