Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-01-04
KeepIng Fruit

A few principles are necessary in Keeping
fruit. particularly apples The first is cold
ness of temperature If too warm, they Ohc
opplo,) will mature-so that temperature is
the important thing Keep as cool as possi-
bic for long keeping a low, uniform tenn.
poraiurc say at 40 or little more, Just
avoiding the frost, is all that is wanted in the
line Of temperature, so far as apples are com
cerncd, aud other fruit comes under the same
/ general head 1t is no difficulty to keep this
| point in the winter, only be sure and have
your cellar or fruit room warm enough to
Withstand The heaviest cold. Tn the warm
days there is a tendency to too much warmth,
open the windows or door, do not neclcr,
them.
The next great cousideration-au it is all
most equal y great with the first--i- the hy.
grometric condition II too moist, you may
be sure your fruit will rot-wil mould If
too dry, it will shrink-that u.s. lose It's mois.
turc-aud this is almost equivalent Gin hurt
20 rottiug.
Much can be done by regulation here, even
if the apartment is inclined TO one or the
other extreme. Where there is much mois-
tnrc open bins will keep your fruit either
from rotuug Or shrinking. So will open bar
rols where there is less moisture they re-
quiro O drier atmosphere, as they are more
confined. Closed tight, in a damp room, they
are sure to spoil we have known them 90 be
q suukcn mass of rot and mould
IL Che air is quite dry, the barrel is the
thing, either shu, tight or merely covered
over. We have known Spizenbcrgs to come
out in April, headed close, almost in the same
condition they went in. They were moro ma +.
turcd and were highly colorcl, These wore
headed up in The fall and put into the cellar
aud left there tll April, untouched. The cell
lar was a dry one would shrink fruit badly
when laid open
So have we kept fruit in barrels tightly
headed up, with good results and we have
had less good luck ia The same way, same
cellar and same Kind Of fruit, owing doubtless
to The difference in the seasons. both winter
and summer. Growing rank and watery ,in
wet season., fruit will not keep SO well, and
the winter, are sometimes more moist
Where there Is a condition Mother too (
wet nor too dry-tmt is, not known for its
Is what is wanted and most
cellars are OF this kind We speak of eel. q
lars, as the fruit Of The farmers is mostly q
Kept 10 those paccs) Il is therefore in GEN
cml safe to trust apples to barrels, covered
up, whether absolutely tight or with little il
mir circulating, We prefer the latter MS
general thing. Il has served US the best i
Cover with the head laid on loose. But When
here is much trouble with warm weather, ,
,cep open, or with slight check to the cir .
uIation.
We usually let our fruit sweat in outbuild-
ng, before we set it for winter. This is at
cast a safe plan, and therefore we practice it.
here would be more uniformity Of tempera-
urc and Of the hygrometric condition were
Immediately taken to the cellar, but the
woatng which would follow would be long
nd proiuse.
Another thing, never touch fruit after il
8 put up in It's winter quarters If it is
ound to rot, as seems to be the case with
ONE peoples fruit why it will rot-and it
viii rot the iastcr, and much the faster,
f you try to save it by sorting, but
by wiping also This removes
he coat (an oily coyerng,) which is a pro-
ccton, and q decided one-one nature
seems to have provided for that purpose la
he spring sound fruit treated in this way is
sure to last but little while When once
rot has set in the fruit should be used at
once, what is good of it, but handle no faster
than you use it,
II there is a general tendency to rot, your
case is hard one To sort aud sell would
be one way. But to keep in this condition
in the cellar will not do the efluyium could
a. l. L.. saI