The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-11-22
Apples for Market.


The market calls for finely colored
apples, and it is not far out of the way
to say that quality is not a considera-
ton at all. This is somewhat too loud
statement, but to state the exact
truth, we may say that such an apple,
other things being equal, or nearly so,
will bring a great deal the most money
in any general market. The vast ma
jority of people are looking out for APP
pearance, and while it is probable that
if they always took the precautiOn to
taste before buying, bad "red" apple
would not sell, it is fact that that they
do not taste. If the apple looks well
and tempting they buy, upon the
principal that anything that looks so
good must be good. Well, all apples
are not ''red,' and we must do the
best we can with what we have. If we
are at all apt scholars we shall learn q
valuable lesson from what we may call
the craze for color. We shall learn to
keep up appearances to the highest pos
sible standard; and to a certain degree
the appearance of an apple indicates
its worth. That is to say, if the apple
is perfectly sound, it viii be worth
more than if it is bruised. In all
markets there are more or less bruised
fruit. Sometimes this is not the grow
er's fault, while in others it is. After
having grown a crop of apples, and
concluded that we viii gather it, it is
the height of folly not to gather them
properly. There is no more particular
work to be done on the farm than
picking and packing fruit; and in no
department of farm work is it so nee
| esSary to superintend the help. Usual
| ly the grower himself is careful. As
rule men are reasonably careful with
their own property, and we regret to
say as rule men are not so careful with
| other peoples property as they are
| with their own. 1t therefore happens
| ve~y often that when help must be en-
] ploved to gather and pack the fruit
! crop. there is considerable loss from
| rough handling, unless the work IS
! closely superintendent. Every bruised
J apple is so much loss. If bruised fruit
sells at all, it is at a discount, and our
/ fruit growers have not to be told that
they are never fortunate enough to es-
cape these losses. On the contrary
| they have to bear the losses which come
from faults of their own, and generally
| those which arise from the carelessness
of those to whom they consign. 1t all
comes upon the grower.
Apples should be picked as soon as
! they are fit for harvesting. To permit
them to remain on the trees longer is to
expose them to the danger of dislodg-
ment by heavy winds, and almost to
freezing in our eccentric n Orthern eli
mate, where we are not pos lively GER
tain we are safe from snow-storm on
the Fourth of July. The manner of
picking need hardly be described, the
only thing necessary being to do it so
as to prevent bruises. A very cOnven-
lent way is to slip common bag, tied
with a string to one upper corner and
one lower corner, over the shoulder.
1t is much handler than a basket, and
the fruit can be emptied into the barrel
if it is Immediately placed in barrels
with less liability to get bruised. II
is a good plan to let the apples that arc
to be marketed lay in heaps awhile be-
fore barreling, that they may sweat
and also develop any injury which any
of them may have received in picking
and handling. The barrels in which
apples are packed should be carefully
examined to the end that everything in
side which would wound the fruit shall
be removed. There are frequently nail:
or splinters on the inside of a barre
which will surely tear every apple witt
which they come in contact. The apples
should be so packed that they will b.
perfectly tight in the barrel, and in or
der to have them thus it will be neces
sary to use lever in bringing the heae
to its place, after the barrel is full
This may be made by taking plank
and fas' ening a chain to one end o
it by means Of staple, and fastening the
other end of the chain, which should b
as long as q barrel, to the end Of tn
lever. Set the barrel on the plank ant
fill it so the apples will come littl
) above the level; put on the head, ant
bring the lever to bear upon it, pressin.
J it TO its place. If the barrel has beef
shaken while being filed. this leye
process viii pack the apples very firm
/ Never pack anything but the best. Re
2 ect every imperfect apple, whateve
o the nature of the imperfection may be
--WeSterB Rural.