Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-12-24
Keeping Fruit.

A few principles are necessary in keeping
fruit, particularly apples. The first is GOODNESS
of Temperature. III too warm, they (thc applesl
will mature-sO that temperature - the impor-
tant thing. Keep az cool a. possible for long
keeping. A little frost, gradually let out, does
not seem to hurt any. A low. uniform tempera-
ture saw at 4oO or a little below, Just avoiding
abe frost. is all that is wanted in the line OF
temperature, so far a apples are concerned,
and other fruit comes under the same general
head. II is difficulty 20 keep this point in
the winter, only De sure and have your cellar
or iIuit loom warm enough TO Withstand the
heaviest cold In in the warm days there Is
teIdeEcy TO too much warmth, open the win
dows or door, do not neglect them.
The next great cOnsideration-anditi is almost
equally great with the hrst-is, the bysrOmetric
condition IL too moist. You NAV be sure your
fruit will Tot-wilI mould. II too dry, it will
shTink-thst Is, lose It's mOisture-and this Is al
most equivalent Gin hurt) to rotting.
Much can be done by regulation here, even If
the apartment is inclined to one or tue other
extreme. Where there is much moisture. open
bins will keep your fruit either from rOtting or
shrinking. So will open barrels where there is
les. moisture: they require drier atmosphere
as they are more confined. Closed tight, in a
damp room, they are sure to spoil; we have
known them TO be sunken mass OF rot and
mould
II the AR il quite drv, the barrel IL the thing
either shut tight or merely covered over We
have known SpitZenbergs to come out in April
headed close, almost in the same condition they
went in They were more matured, and were
highly eolOTed. These we're headed up in the
fall and put into the cellar, and left there till
April, untouched The cellar was . dry one;
would shrink fruit badly when laid open.
So have We kept fruit IN barrels, tightly
headed up, with good results, ard We have had
less good luck in the same way. same cellar and
sAne kind Of fruit, owing dou Stless to the Diff
1srenes in the seasons, both winter and sum
Aer. Growing rank and vatery Tin a vet sea-
sen,) fruit will not keep so WELL and the winters
are sometimes more moist
where there is . condition neither too wet
ner too dry-thst 10, NOS known for its extreme
this is what 10 wanted, and most cellars are OF
this kind. 1--WE speak Of cellars, a. the fruit or
The farmers 10 mostly kept In those placesl 10
Is therefore IN general safe to trust apples to
barrels, covered up, whether absolutely tight
or with little air circulating. We prefer the
latter az general thing. IL has served US the
best Cover with the head laid on loose. But
vhen there is much trouble with warm weather,
Keep open, or with slight check to the eireula-
ton.
We usually let our fruit svea, in oatbuildings
before We set II for winter. This 10 at least a
safe plan, ard therefore We practice IL. There
would be more uniformity of temperature and
OF the hygrometric condition were 10 imme-
diately taken 10 the cellar, but the sweating
which would follow would be long and profuse.
Another thing: Never touch fruit after ii is
put IN Its winter quarters. lit is "bound to
rot, As seems to be the case with some people,
nut, Why II will rOt-and IL Will rot the faster
and much the faster. if yOI try to save it by
sorting, but particularly by wiping also. This
removes the coat tan oily cOveringJ which is a
protection, ard a decided one-one nature
seems 10 have provided for that purpose. In
the spring. sound fruit treated IN thi. wav -
sure 10 last but little while. wheP once rot
has set in, the fruit should be used at once
what i gold oft, but handle no faster than you
~.
~ there II general tendency - rot. vonr
ease Is hard one. To sort and sell would be
one way But 70 keep in this condition in the
eeliar viii not do; the effiuvium could not be
endured Remove, at least; feed. III no other
remecy Is at hand This misnap, however
rarely occurs with us; We seldom have rotten
fTuIt TO amount 70 anything. When We dis
cover II IN barrel, We lay open the fruit more.
but not So as to wither il.
We consider IL 10 risk al all to keep apples in
our cellar We are not concerned hat that the
viii Keep the winter through. and that va shall
nave frut late in the spring But We harvest
vel, unbruised and dry, and we attend 70 the
temperature and the hygrOmetric condition of
eur cellar. This We consider Indispensable 10
the late keeping Of fruit.-C0Vntry CsHHeman.