The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-11-12
Keeping Fruit.

H
left few sound Spitzenbergs, gathered q
year ago. They have lost somewhat their
flavor and juiciness, but are still readily
distinguished as this excellent fruit. IS
The secret is: Early gathering, cool
ness, and uniformity of temperature; also
the proper hygrometric condition. We
picked our apples between the 10Th and
Goth of September, when the fruit was
yet somewhat green, but little colored,
and not yet fully grown. 1t was carefully
handled, picked, sorted, and put into the
barrel under the tree, thence removed to
the barn, where the first night it received
q copious sweating. It was left there for
q week or more, with little vent for the
moisture to escape. The barrels then
were put carefully into the cellar, COM
partment intended for fruit and kept pur-
posely as cool as possible during the fall.
This is done by opening the windows
when the weather Is cool (of course NOT
damp or rainy), and kept open till q
change occurs, when the windows are
closed, and kept shut till the weathef d
cool again. The thing is very simple. :.
In winter, the reverse is the case the
windows are opened when the weather II
warm-that is, at the freezing point OF
somewhat below; never when it Is quite
warm-a temperature exceeding that oi
the cellar being especially avoided, as i
viii produce a change, interfering with
uniformity and quality, which is all-im
portant FL
Keep the barrels shut or slightly open
either win do. Commonly, however, We
give slight ventilation; this by simply
laying the head on. Bins we find too dry
The two extremes of dampness and dry.
ness must be avoided the one disposes to
rot and mould, the other to shriveling Of
the fruit.
Do not touch your fruit till it is wanted
to be used. To handle it Is to hasten de-
cav. It needs its oily Goa. to protect 1T
Handling win disturb this. We thus have
no difficulty. We have kept our fruit ID
this way for years. Not only apples, but
grapes, and probably all kinds of fruit
may be kept by taking these precautions.
For early use we treat differently. VIZ
Let ripen on the tree, then keep where
moderately warm. This will favor matu
ration. In this way our winter fruit is d
to use at the holidays and before. W.
usually. have Spitzenbergs (Ksopus) fol
table use the latter part Of November
reasons varying somewhat. Sugar ii
needed, but not much even for baking
The excellent, the unrivalled flavor Of tn
Spitzenberg leads us to select this frui
for cooking, especially baking purposes
| thus early, and we continue it during tn
winter and spring till into the summer
It never clogs.
Thus gather early if you wish to keeI
late. %
Gather late Il. you wish to use early. :.
| Keep cool the late fruit (spring fruit)
keep uniform In temperature, and mes'
between the usual extremes of mOistur
and dryness, as found in cellars. ~
| Admit fresh air as much as may be, bu
avoid disturbance of the temperatur
and of the hygrometric condition ..
It will thus be seen that care 10 required
Tight windows are necessary, and hun
| on hingea Never In any case let . warn
! wind have access to your cellar, as II
sure to force out the heavy air, the onl
way it can get it out, otherwise, wit
warm air outside, there Ii no danger, as i
its rarefied state it cannot displace II
heavier cold air. The warm scjad is you
greatest enemy. u
OF course, the cellar il to be kept cleal
| Air long confined then in such place WI
not be bad air. Hence for weeks
winter the windows may be closed. II
air, unlike that of the inhabited room,
not affected by respiration, only the re
piration Of the fruit which. when SCUM
win add . fragrance to the place. maxim
the cellar one of the most desirable con
partments in the building TO 60 into.
We have detailed only our experienc
but the experience..of years 1t II an eas
matter TO keep fruit to manage = 30
to use it as wanted-this whether in
cellar or ffuit-room, as the condition mu
be substantially the samein both.-Hsa11
and Home.