Smyrna times., 1880-11-03
The Care of Winter Fruit.

The value of the annual fruit crop of |
this country does not fall far short of
$50, 100000, and why so important a
crop should be the object of SO little care
and attention from the setting of the
tree to the securing and caring for the
fruit, is a question that can not be salts
factorily answered. Supplying as it does
an important element Of food, classed
even among the luXuries, the rules that
apply to its cultivation and care are COM
paratively not understood, or almost
wholly neglected. The greater part of
the orchard in Northern Ohio, especially
at some distance back from the lake, are
in the meadows, or the land is pastured
by the smaller stock until apples begin to
fall, and the trimming Of the trees, the
protection from insects, or supplying
them with nutriment other than that
which they gather from thin soil, are
matters of no concern to the owner, and
when the time of gathering comes, the
inferior-sized fruit, wormy, and as con-
sequence ill-favored, is shaken off from
the trees, ratified into barrels, ''bounced
and jounced" to the cellar, placed in posi-
ton for winter keeping C) without any re-
gard to the fitness of the place, its dry
ness or moisture, high or low tempera-
ture, and mid-winter finds the quarter
part Of the fruit gone, destroyed by non
compliance with few requirements that
might have been as easily formed as the
wrong way, and the supply Of apples for
the balance of the winter is limited to a
few g Hard Heads" and Russets, which
will keep under any circumstances.
With the advent of canning, a stride
forward was taken in preserving fruits
fresh, but with a certain loss of flavor
The older process of preserving, as {
general rule, is too expensive for the
masses Of housekeepers, tho the smaller
fruits have to to be secured by one Oh
both of these methods. But the apple
can be kept for long periods and without
expense, save attention in picking ant
storing, and the way that has been found
successful may be initiated again with adj
vantage, and the fruit, even if not finding
a market, will in itself pay for all trouble
if doing work well is to be catalogueC
as trouble.
The gathering of apples should not b.
too long delayed. The early pleasant DC
tober days are better than to subject tn
apples to the sharp frosts that occur late
in the month, and if put in a shad
place and sheltered from storms, the gai
in the keeping qualities will be marked
The apples should always be hand pickle
and placed in the picking basket wit
care not thrown in, for the bruise, in til
latter case, would amount to about tn
same as shaking, and if the stems are re
tanned, better result will be attained
Nothing so much adds to the markC
value of apples as to assert and keep til
g varieties separate, and if there is diffel
= ence in the same sort of variety, one MOI
mellow or juicy than the others, tho {
the same name, it would be well to pl
each by itself; and if anything like un
formity in size can be secured, even if
few barrels of inferior fruit in shape an
size may result, the sale will be to the az
vantage of the seller, and if put into tt
cellar, the likelihood of their temptiu
some buyers fancy, when he would n,
purchase even average fruit, is qui
t. among the possibilities.
The cellar or storing place for appl
It must be dry, well ventilated, not subiec
ed to sudden changes, close against ligf
& and yet be able to maintain low degr
ct of temperature. The ventilation is il
:" portant, because the room may be natu
So ally dry, yet there will be a slow evapor
v ton going on from the fruit, and if tt
n is left in the room it hastens decay, al
it is from this fact that warm, damp c.
lars can never be made good fruit-keepe
In locality where a considerable numb
of fruit growers were in close proximit
it would pay to erect fruit house wi
its double walls, ect, but even tho
requirements may be met on small
scale. The fruit should be placed
shelves, in thin layers, to secure the b.
results, but if only few bushels are
be kept, very nice way is to procure {
new common five-cent baskets, holding
- half bushel, and filling these, set thu
upon racks, and then they can be handl
with the utmost ease, and without
turbing the balance, ''' - ~
If the cellar is damp and the remedy
not practicable. the custom of wrappi
the apples in some soft paper, or packi
in dry sand, or thoi oughly dried sawdl
may be resorted to with good results, a
in this way many Of the perishable fru
lsh have been kept to almost incrediI
lengths of time.
The only way to keep fruit is to ha
sound, healthy trees, protected as well
possible from the insects, use the utn,
care in picking, handland and storif
Il and keep watchful eye over the bask
- and bins, and a degree of success will
readily achieved. - Practical Farmer
-
- The aroTeoSate value If tho MOO,