The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-11-07
Keeping Apples and Grapes.

An apple may be bruised, and so long
as the skin is whole it will not rot. But
break the skin, and the mould germs en-
ter at once and rot the fruit. Hence the
head of a bar ell may be pressed hard
against the fruit and not injure it, save a
dry tough spot. All fruit therefore, in
tended to keep, must have sound cpl
dermis. A worm hole invites rot.
Apples to be kept through the winter
or till well into spring, should be pick
ed before they are quite ripe, or just as
they reach the point of ripening. To
gather sooner will deprive some what
of the flavor, though the preserving
quality will be improved. Handle care
fully when picked, and as little as pos
sible, so as to leave intact the oil-coat
that covers the fruit, which is an aid to
it's keeping. Have the barrels at the
tree, and transfer from the basket put
ting in the best, such as are wished to
be kept. Each sorting of apples, or al
most any fruit, is hurt Let it then
be done but ouce, and at the tree. Re
move the barrels to an out-building, and
leave there till the sweating operation
has passed and the fruit is dry.
Then remove to the fruit-house or Gel
lar. Sweating commences at once, and
the barrels should therefore be left open,
or at least partly, so as to give chance
for evaporation. When put into their
place for winter, head up, leaving lit
tie space half an inch or inch wide !;
this is to give a chance for slight cir
culation of air. If the air is rather dry,
let there be less ventilation more if
moist and according to the amount of
moisture. Apples will rapidly dry a. d
shrink when exposed to dry air. A eel
lar will in general not bear the exposure,
much less fruit-room.
1t is important that there be uni
form and low temperature. The uni
formity is generally unheeded, to the
damage of the fruit. If just above the
freezing point, the temperature is the
right thing. Keep as near this as pos
sible; and if any change occur, as it
usually will, see that it be gradual, in
which case there will be little hurt To
secure all this, the windows should be
made double, and hung so as to O en-
and shut readily, the rest Of the cellar
or building frost proof. By the win
dows the temperature is to be regula-
ted. Throw open in the fall and spring
when cool, which is usually at night,
and close when warm. This keeps uni
form GOODNESS. In winter reverse, open
when mild, and close when cold. It is
best to have two apartments for fruit
one cool, where the fruit is intended
for long keeping; the other warmer,
where it is to be used along, as warmth
will hasten maturity.
As to grapes, there are some sorts
that will not keep these are the thin
skinned. Athick skin will prevent rotting
and retard evaporation. Happily there
is goodly number of this kind that
are we'll provided with good envelope.
Among these are the Isabella, Diana,
Clinton, Rogers No. 4 and others.
Select only ripe fruit, and free from all
rlnripe or bruised berries. Spread out.
where the air has free access, in some
out-room or open chamber, and exclude
artificial heat, unless in cold weather
Then the air a little rarifed will aid in
the curing, that is in drying the stems
which is the object in exposing
to the air for the stems in a
green state when the fruit is box
ed, will evaporate their moisture and es-
tablisb mould. Dry stems will not.
In week or two your grapes will be
fit for boxing up. Two or three layers
may be put in a box, with some soft,
dry material between the layers of fruit;
also cover the bottom and top with the
material; paper will do, dried leaves,
cotton, etc. but do not close up tight.
Treat in this respect the same as with
apples, temperature included. Grapes
will thus keep till spring, and be the
better in flavor for the keeping, though
less plump, having parted with some
of their moisture. But this concen-
trates and improves the liquor. Our
best eating of grapes has been in March
and April Country Geaatlena0n.