The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-12-12
Farm, Garden, and Household,
From the New England Farmer.
Keeping Apples.

There is considerable difference in the
manner in which apples keep sound in diff
ferent seasons, although kept each season
IN the same place, cellar or otherwise
The cause may be want of sufficient ripe
ness or carelessness in hauling, in many in
stances. Where these are all right, how
ever, apples will decay, in some seasons,
much more than they will in others We
can thnk OF no cause for this, but some
condition Of the atmosphere which tends
to promote decomposition in this particu-
lar fruit
The usual mode of preparing apples for
preservation is in barrels. This NAV not
have become common because it was the
best way to preserve them, but as much
perhaps, because in that form they are con
veniently handled and transported from
place to place.
Nhen apples are produced in large guam
titles, and there is little demand for them
at Inc season Of gathering, it is important
10 ilnd some cheap and easy way of dspos-
ing of them until they will command iair
price. II the crop Is an abundant one, it
vii. be difficult to procure barrels when 80
many persons are needing them. We have
recently bad the pleasure for the pain { u
OF assisting IN gathering and sorting lnore
than twelve hundred bushels of apples.
grown on the farm, and mostly from trees
winch we set twenty-four wears ago. A
team has been running into Boston with
the poorer qualities for several weeks, and
they have brought from 81 to 81. so per bar
rel. the barrel not included. The question
arose, what shall be done With the remain
ing portion, the No. quality ?
Calling To mind the experience of a large
apple grower, M. S F. Lerned, OF Ches-
ter, N. H., we at once adopted his plan, and
now have them-last of November-in ex-
celient condition. Bins were made of
rough boards, by mailing them to inch and
halt by five inch plank, as sills. Five
square corner posts to nail to were halved
into the sills. On the front the boards were
let into slides on the posts, so that easy ac-
cess III or ont of the bin could be had. The
BINS are OF variable length, so as to accom-
modate the boards on the places where
they are to stand. The bins will hold
about twenty-five barrels each They are
IN lar@e well-ventilated cellar, which has
formerly been used for roots they are rails
ed two inches from the cemented floor,
and present most inviting appearance, as
well as delightful fragrance. Already the
iruit commands an advanced price, which
viii undoubtedly be somewhat increased.
We hope to be able to state at some future
time, that this mode of preserving apples
has been d successful one.
The following article upon 1.-The care Of
winter apples" is from the Vermont Farm
eT.
he way that most farmers save their
winter apples is to hole them up like pota-
toes or pile them up in a cave or cellar
BY this method you not only lose much val
uable time, but lose very many apples, and
what you do keep over winter are in a bad
condition. Apples may be kept in barrels
that are quite open, but the best and cheap
est way is to keep them in crates or boxes
made In the following manner: The ends
or head pieces should be ten or twelve
inches wide, by fifteen to eighteen long :;
they can be sawed or split nail your boards
on the bottom and sides leaving place for
ventilation. Have yOur boards all the same
length about three feet.
When you gather your apples from the
trees pnt them in these boxes be careful
not to bruise them and lay the boxes on
each other in your apple house. Two men
viii handle these boxes with ease You
can look your apples over in these boxes
al any time with little labor When YOU
are ready to ship Just nail a board over the
top ana You are ready. In this way YOU
get your apples in market in good condition
ami handle them but once. Keep your
house as cold as possible at all times with
out freezing.