Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-10-27
Harvesting and Storing Apples.

down. With low-headed, properly
trained trees manipulating becomes
quite as easy matter as shaking off the
fruit and then gathering it from the
ground.
Before the harvest begins it is well to
have suitable place prepared in the
orchard or near at hand for the tempo
rary storing of the apples, unless these
are TO be assorted and packed as fast as
gathered. Many OF our leading pomol-
Ogists employ two sets OF hands at time
OF harvest. one for picking the apples
and the other for asserting and packing
immediately in barrels. Others who
have fruit-houses DELAY the packing un-
Ill the approach Of cold weather.
Apples should be assorted according
TO variety. size and quality. and packed
so closely in clean barrels that they
Fruit destined for long distance will
arrive in better order by being packed
full. even 10 slight jamming, than if
packed loose. With the rough hand
ling that all packages get, more or less,
the contents are liable To become badly
bruised unless packed solidly.
A usual mode of packing apples is to
take out one head from the barrel and
begin packing by placing tier of APP
pies with the ends to the closed head
Of the barrel, then I'll up without bruis-
ing the fruit and shake down thorough
ly and ill the barrel so full that the
head must he pressed in with a lever,
actually iiaiiening the last tier OF ap-
piles. Tie head and hoops are now
nailed, the barrel turned over, and on
the head not opened the name of the
variety in the barrel is plainly marked.
Apples packed in this way show a fine
and handsome face. Care. by the way,
should he observed not 10 face the
fruit more than it viii bear; il must run
uniform 10 give satisfaction 10 the buy
er and to create demand another sea-
son for the same mark OF fruit IL
ought also 10 be borne in mind while
asserting the fruit that good quality
arriving in good order rarely fails TO
obtain lair price, although the mar
ket may be glutted with ordinary and
inferior grades.
In the first shipments of apples to
Europe. the fruit was carefully packed
by wrapping in tissue paper and hlling
in between the LAYERS with buckwheat
chat. This plan did not prove satis-
factory. for il was found that the fruit
was liable to absorb the flavor OF the
chat. The plan OF enveloping each
apple before il is packed in tissue pa
per that has been previously soaked in
an alcoholic solution of salicylic acid
and dried, appears to have met with
success. Apples for export should be
permitted to shrink before the final
packing. and the shipments ough; not
10 be made until crisp, cold weather.
Some growers practice lining the bar
rels with paper as they pack the apples
in, using. If the weather is cold, two
thicknesses. and taking care that the
apples do not come in contact with the
barrels. With this protection it is
claimed that packages undergoing long
shipment in extremely cold weather es-
cape having their contents injured.
Once packed. the barrels should he
stored in some dark but well-yentilated
place and kept NJ low uniform tenn
perature as near the freezing point ol
water as is practicable. The tempera-
ture must be kept so low that the fungi
tina: cause decay cannot be developed.
The old-time practice. which added to
the conditions mentioned the necessity
OF a dry atmosphere, is gradually giving
way TO the popular opinion that the air
must be moist enough to prevent the
fruit from shriveling. Experiments by
scientists and farmers appear to have
proven pretty oonclusively that while 4
moist. warm cellar is decidedly detri-
mental TO the keeping qualities of the
fruit, y Wet cold one prevents loss OF
weight and size by evaporation and
consequently is conducive to the pres
ervation of the fresh appearance and
natural flavor Of the fruit
Farmers of experience need hardly be
;s.l.zs.,al that .ri.a.o,- q ....I... !,