Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-10-20
Packing Apples.

The Wisconsin Horticultural society gives
through its report the following good advice
on packing apples:
Under the term packing We include the
whole operation Of storing and keeping after
picking, until finally disposed Of We rec.
ommend, as the best article to pack in, a
well.made, clean, new barrel, holding two
aud one-half bushels, and perfectly sea-
soncd and dry when the fruit is put IN.
Aako the barrel under the tree or near it,
and taking out the head gil it a little more
than level full and then cover with short
boards so as to exclude sunshine aud rain,
aud with two or three sticks Of stove wood
or some means of keeping the bottom of the
barrel off the ground, leave it for week or
two to sweet and dry out, when the head
muet be pressed down to its place and the
hoops driven on tight, aud nailed on both
ends. II the barrel is not level full when
headed up, it must be made so, as this is
most essential to prevent after handling of
the barrel bruising the apples. Failure in
this one thing Of pressing the contents of
the barrel, so that there shall be no loose
apples aud no working in any manner of the
whole or any part of them, will involve seri.
Gus danger of loss Of all the labor previously
bestowed and yet we find that right here is
the great neglect. Right picking and right
packages are all useless if afterward the
fruit is bruised in consequence of loose pack
ing. ....
We greatly prefer to put the fruit immo-
diately into the barrel in the orchard, and
head up the barrel before it is moved, to the
method so often recommended of picking aud
carrying to some clubhouse or chamber to
cure before packing as it saves much labor,
involves less risk OF bruising, and requires
less time. When the barrels are headed up,
they may be laid on the side, on sticks, and
left in the orchard if the weather is fair, or
removed to some out-house barn. or any
place where they will be dry aud cool. 1t
Is good way to lay down some poles and
rails near the cellar where they are to be
kept during the winter, and lay the barrels
on them, and cover them temporarily with
boards The point to be aimed at is to
keep them as cool and dry as possible, and
out Of the cellar till winter or very freezing
weather, as it is wel.established fact that
an apple will bear more cold and freezing
without affecting its quality than any other
fruit or vegetables, especially If kept in the
dark and all air excluded. Another reason
for choosing tight packages is that light and
air in conjunction with warmth rapidly
ahap pYn fbn fnNn,,,nl ,o,l,t;o, -
the fruit and induce decay. The same agen.
cies which operated in maturing and per-
lecting it will, after it is matured, rpen aud
aiterward destroy. 1t is essential to sue
cess in keeping fruit in any manner, or by
any method, to keep this fact in view and to
be governed by it.
The writer has known apples packed as
above directed and put in dark cellar, to
be frozen solid, clear through, and remain so
for weeks, aud on being opened in May,
show 40 signs of injury in looks or taste
There is no question but that it will always
pay to pack apples as herein directed, even
if they are to be sold Immediately, and thore
were never so many apples on the market
but there would be remuneratiye prices paid
for such by parties knowing how they were
picked and packed. In commencing to fl
the barrel with the apples, some advise pac-
ing the layer all with the stem end down,
which gives fuc appearance when opened,
and helps to sell it Of course there is no
harm in doing SO, provided you do not Sc
lect larger and better specimens for that
layer, as looks are to be regarded as desir-
able just as long as they do not deceive.
We advise in all cases, instead of putting
apples in cellar to keep for spring and
summer use, to have one especially devoted
to that use, or to partition off room in it
which can be kept cold, even below the
freezing poiut, and at the same time be dry.
We repeat that there is more danger from
warmth than cold, from light than darkness,
from handling than from lying still Lastly,
marx each barrel distinctly with the vari-
city and grade on the end which should be
opened.