The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-11-09
KEEPING APPLES.

A correspondent of the Ohio Farmer
sums up the result of twenty years expert
ence in keeping apples as follows:
"Keep them dry, cool, and entirely
shielded from the external air" And
adds: 81 commence gathering Winter
fruit about the 1st of October, and finish,
if possible, by the Goth of the same, leav-
ing those kinds least affected by early frosts
and which are most tenacious of the parent
stem till the last. Hard frosts are injur-
ious to apples for late keeping. After the
dew is off and the apples become dry in the
morning, 1 commence picking with the
hand, and put them Immediately and care
fully into well-made flour-barrels, made
expressly for the purpose-they should
be air tight-head them up, lay them down
on their sides. and when done gathering,
wheel them to an clubhouse or open shed,
where let them remain until severe weath-
er sets in, when they are taken into the
cellar and remain undisturbed till wanted
for the market.
It would be better to take them under
shelter each day as they are picked, to pre-
vent the sun from shining on the barrels;
for, as l said before, the whole secret of
preserving apples is in keeping them as dry
and cool as possible without freezing. APP
pies should be picked only in dry weather.
l have a cellar expressly fitted up for keep
ing apples, as it will not do for the cellar
to be warm enough to keep other vegeta-
bles. 1t must be well ventilated. 1 leave
my cellar windows open through the Win
ter, unless in very severe weather; and
when warm weather approaches, close
them through the day and open them at
night. When the air IS warmer on the
outside than in the cellar, keep all closed
up tight; and rice oersa. l never repack
or open my apples, for in so doing it let's in
a new agent of decomposition; the air that
is fixed in the barrels becomes in great
measure deprived of its decomposing pro
perties.
Having a scanty supply of barrels last
Fall at gathering time, had lot of old
salt-barrels recoopered, making them near
ly air tight. Into part of these put
wine saps. On opening them late in the
Spring, found they had kept one hun
dred per cent. better than the same variety
that were put in other barrels, which
attribute to saline influences A very great
error of managing apples used to be and
still is practiced by many fruit-growers-
that of putting apples in bins or on garnet
floors.
THE SCoTCH SYSTEM IN THE DAIRY
The Scottish Farmer says the manager of a
large dairy in Scotland gives the following
as general orders for all hands employer,
about his stock:
I. Every COW must be in her stall at the
appointed time of milking.
2. Mixers are expected to be on hand
at A. A. NJ and 81 P. NJ, Sundays except
ed, when milking will commence at g. A.
NJ. and 5! P. NJ.
3. Each mixer will have charge of a de-
finite number of stalls, and will be held
responsible for the thorough milking of
every COW occupying them.
4. Gentle words and kind treatment are
enjoiaed. Striking cows with stools, clubs
or heavy sticks will under no circumstances
be allowed.
5. In driving the cows to and from pas
ture, great pains must be taken not to hug
ry them.