The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1872-11-07
for the farmer.
KERPING wrNTER APPLES.

A correspondent Of the Ohio Farmer writes that
the result of twenty years experience IN keeping
apples may all be summed mp in few words,
VIZ: Keep them dry, cool, aud entirely shielded
from the external air. After trying numerous
experiments, have finally adopted the following
methods as being the cheapest and nisst exPedi-
tions:
commence gathering winter fruit about the
hrst Of Octobcr and nisb If possible, by the 2ofh
Of the same; leaving those kinds least affected by
the frost and which are most tenacious Of the
parent stem till thr last Hard trusts are inju-
IRONS to apples for late keeping. After the dew
is on, anil the apples become dry in the morning,
l commenee picking with the hand, and put
them immediately and carefully INTO well-made
flour barrels, made expressly for the purpose
they should he ar-tight-head them up, lay them
down Oh their sides, and when done gathering,
wheel them to clubhouse or open shed,
where l let them remain until severe weather
sets IN, when they are taken into the cellar,
and remain undisturbed till wanted for the mar
ket.
1t would be better to take them under shelter
each day as they are picked, to prevent the sun
from shining Oh the barrels; for, as said be-
fore, the whole secret of preserving apples is in
keeping them as dry and cool as possible without
freezing. Apples should be picked only in dry
weather. have cellar expressly fitted up for
keeping apples, asst will not do for the cellar to I've
warm enough TO keep other vegetables 1t must
lie well ventilated. l leave my cellar windows
open through the winter, unless in severe wealth
er; 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 tho
cellar keep all closed up tight; and vice versa.
never repack or open my apples, for in so do
ing it lets in a new agent of decomposition; the
air that is fixed in the barrels becomes in great
measure deprive of its decomposing properties.
Having a scanty supply Of barrels last fall at
gathering time, had lot of old salt barrels re-
coopered, making them nearly airrtight. Into a
part of these put winesaps. On opening them
in the spring. found they had kept one hundred
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
he, and still is practical 10y many fruit growers;
that is, putting apples in bins on garnet floors
to go through the Sweating prrccss," leaving
them until they become shriveed before putting
them away in their winter quarters. Tins the
apple loses its flavor well its vitality: for
the aroma that excapes from the apple by being
thus exposed to til. warm atmosphere is Othin,
less than minute PARTICLES of the apple itself
have observed that late keeping apples, as a
general thing, have thicker rinds than those that
mature earlier. This is peculiarly the case with
the ROxbury russell. If am correct in this OBJ
servatiOn, it is strong argument in favor of
close keeping; for the rind serves as a protec-
tion against the escape of the aroma of the APP
pie, and consequently against the effects of the
atmosphere. There is no apple with which
am acquainted that emits greater odor than the
Summer Queen, and none more frail.