The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-10-02
0Ile farmer.



The question Is often asked, whit Is the
best way TO keep apples for common fami-
ly useY We have found central shelves,
10 an apartment set of or devoted To This
purpose, the most convenient. Tho apples
are spread on these shelves, only a few
inches desp, 50 that they may DO readily
examined or picked over, as fast as decay
commences on any specimens.
Il is very important that the apples be
kept as cool as practicable after gathering
in autumn and before the freezing weather
of winter arrives For this purpose they
are placed on the floor Of an clubhouse
facing the north, and allowed to remain
there till about the time that freezing
weather commences, when they are re-
moved to the shelves of the fruit room in
the basement Of the house. This room
(Which is about ten feet wide and thirty
feet long, is separated from the rest of the
basement by an 8-inch brick wall, and has
a cement bottom to keep the air dry
enough. Windows for ventilation are
hung on hinges SO that they may be open
cd or closed to any desired degree, for the
regulation Of fthe temperature by the ther-
mometer. The nearer this temperature
is to freezing, the better the fruit viii
keep When the weather Is warm out
side, the windows are closed to exclude
the warm air; when colder, they ale open
ed sufficiently to admit cool air and keep
down the temperature.
The apples being thinly spread on the
shelves, and decaying specimens are read
lily detected and removed, care being taken
not to disturb or tumble orer he sound a,,.
pies lohich remain. An examination every
few weeks during winter and spring win
keep the supply clear Of rotten apples.
Among the advantages Of this mode are
the readiness with which the specimens
which viii not keep are separated from the
others, and only long keepers allowed to
remain. When fruit is kept headed up
in barrels, which is common mode, this
selection and separation cannot be made;
and while they keep better thus excluded
from the air 50 long as all remain sound,
the commencement Of decay in few
specimens soon spoils all the rest.
A little practice viii enable the atten-
dant to remove those specimens which will
not keep, even before decay begins; and
by going over the shelves several times
during winter and spring, none but sound,
long keepers are left.
As warm weather approaches, and it be-
comes more difficult TO keep the apartment
so cold as may bo desirable for the fruit,
portion Of the soundest and hardest are
selected and placed in shallow boxes and
showed under the lower shelf, on the b6t-
tom Of the cellar. The cold cellar bottom
keeps them at low temperature, and the
shelf above serves as cover to prevent
air currents. In this way we have fresh
specimens Of such fruits as the Baldwin
and Rhode Island Greening at the middle
Of June, and we sometimes keep fine, hard,
fresh Greetings into the month Of July.
The three leading requisites for success
are-l. Placing the apples 10 cold out
house in autumn till freezing weather; 2.
Removal Of docaying specimens from the
shelves; 8. Keeping the temperature as
low as practicable without freezing, by q
proper adjustment of the hanging windows.
Country Gentleman. ts