The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-11-05
6 arut ans Mar6ttt
GATHERING AND KEEPING APPLES.

Gather your apples early if you wish
TO Keep them late in the spring and
vice versa. Gather early they are hard
ana lt VIII be sometime-say several
months-before they will have reached
the period of ripening which the ample
attains on the trees so that to pick ear
ly is to put off the ripening time.
This is done; and we have no " Au-
gust IA in the cellar, Spitzenbcrgs,
sound as when gathered though not SO
juicy and tarte. They were gathered
four weeks before the usual time. They
had not yet attained their growth and
were green and immatured looking.
But they kept and ripened and are red
and soft now as any; but not so good
quite in flavor nor perfect, aa the ripe
| Spitzenberg is. Still fruit and not a
bad one during the spring and into
summer, when other apples are not.
II wanted Tor spring use alone and
not early summer, pick week later:
lffor Febuary and March week later
stlil. Ii for early use say November
and December pick when ripe. Thus
with the Spitzenberg and most winter
fruit. But there are other sorts thai
will take the place of these early in the
winter; these are the late fall or early
winter sorts, But these-all fruit (ap-
ples)-may be used earlier or later.
kept longer or not according to the
time of picking. 1t is simply changing
the time of picking no extra care or ex-
pense.
Pick your fruit; and from the tree
put into the barrel, to be no more
touched till used. Handling fruit has
tens decay.
Put barrels in out buildings for sew
eral days till the sweating--which takes
place the first night profusely lis over
and the fruit is dry. This will be in
lew days if the weather is favorable.
Remove them to the fruit-room or cell
lar; fruit room properly made is best
but the cellar will do it if not too
damp.
Head up or simply cover with or
WiGhout spaces for the air to circulate.
put the temperature of your room or
cellar requires attention for upon this
depends the whole now the moisture
being regulated. The first the great
important point is uniformity of tenn
perature. 70 this effect the windows
(which should be double--are to be
Fept shat when the weather is warm
and there is breeze will blow out the
cold air though lighter, it will force it
out--and open when cold; this in the
tall and spring. In the winter of
course there Is little air TO be let in, the
difficulty is too much cold finds its way
into our cellars and rooms. When
this happens keep it in that condition
until it begins to thaw. Now comes
the critical point; if rapidly thawed it
is spoiled; if gradually--it cannot be
too sradual--there is perfect safety of
your fruit.
Uniformity then and a gradual
change if change must occur; a low
temperature in avoiding the fros t; the
mean between moisture and dryness;
and the fruit not uncovered or in open
BINS much less On shelves unless the
ilr habltually is quite damp. Inapro-
per temperature and hygrometin con-
iition apples should be kept covered.
Barrels with the head in or on are the
hings.
1t rot attacks them--it will but slight
v--leave them as they are for as soon
IS sorting commences the rot will bo
accelerated and your apples will soon
'e gone. II severely attacked use at
nee. But this need lot be, If the fruit
carefully handled lin the start) and
reated as described.
You can rlpen your fruit in the eel.
ar or fruit-room as we'll as on the tree.
d course you do this With the heat.
thus i'll the different compartments
'ou should have different teRlpera.
u"e. We use Spitenber.S from No
emoer to July. The Last (ripe) pick
ng put in u warm room--nOt drv--js
sed first. In our coldest apartlnent
n the floor is our earliest picking to
eep.-PyGiris Farmer