The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-04-23
FROST PRESERVES THEM.
some Facts About Frozen Apples.

"If vour garret OF loft is only cold
enough. there isn't any reason in the
world why you shouldn't treat your
friends with plump, fuli-tlayored Khode
Island greetings. Baldwins, or any
other choice apples. just rs well next
June as YOU did last Christmas. sald
Il Washington street commission mer-
chant. 'I'll have last years Bald
wins, and don't know but last years
greetings, as sound us a'knot, iii my
house next summer. in the same dish
with this years harvest apples: yet
nine out of ten people would have
thought these same apples were ruined
two months ago. and would have treat
ed them accordingly. Why? Simply
because they were frozen.
doesn't the freezing Of apples spoi!
them. then?" asked the reporter.
The general opinion is, replied the
merchant, .'that after an apple freezes
its value is gone: but the fact is that
| lust the contrary is the truth. Let a
barrel of apples freeze in the fall. and
keep them froZe. or. rather. do not dis
/ turb them. and in the spring they viii
be in the very condition thfy were
when taken from the tree. Baldwins,
! and, in fact. all favOrite eating apples.
/ do not have their full flavor nor mel
: lowness when first packed in the fall,
/ They ripen in the barrel. and are at
their best in January. After that they
/ hegin 10 decay. and when March comes
they are few and far between, those
that are left being the result of especial
good care and attention. - III B
! .'If they are frozen in the fall how
ever. the ripening process is checked.
The vitality of the apple is simply sus-
pended, and it only needs proper treat
ment to restore il TO its natural action.
The trouble has always been that when
| a barrel of apples was found to DO
frozen it was rolled off at once to Il
warm place and subjected to rapid
thaying, Some people take the apples
out of this barrel and plunge them
into cold water TO draw the frost out.
! The result is tlabby. fayorlcss fruit,
really not worth the room it occupies,
and subject to speedy decay; all be-
cause of popular ignorance. A frozen
apple is one of the most sensitive
things in the world. Touch your finger
upon it, and when the frost is thawed
from the apple the spot touched will
be mark of decay. which spreads
rapidly over the fruit.
Therefore, if you ever find that your
barrel of Baldwins is frozen, heat it
gently. If the apples are thoroughly
frozen ths barrel will not be full by
nearly a peck, so much has the fruit
contracted with the frost. 1t wouid hs
impossible now to move the barrel
without running every apple in it. So,
if it stands whore it will not be subject
to sudden warmth, and thus thawed
out rapidly. let it stand. Cover the
apples up where they will be kept dark.
Then 90 away and let them alone until
spring comes and draws the frost out
of every thing. Then uncover youl
apples. Ii may startle you, but YOU
will find the barrel full TO the heao
with the plump fellows that were
rolled into your house in the fall, and
which were sorry-looking lot Q
wrinklcd. shrunk-up fruit the last tim,
YOU saw them.
If they were assorted apples wheI
packed YOU need not pick them over
for they will be just rs sound and har,
AS they were in November. By th'
middle of May or lst OF June They vii
be in the fragrant, mellow conditiol
that they would have been in fiv,
months before if the frost hadn'
stepped in ami held 1t bnak. ! sc ha'
apples frozen and thawed three Tins
in one Winter, owing to suddenchange
in lne weather, but they were all righ
when the final drawing of the frOs
took ulace 4 barrel of apples nigh
be kept frozen a thousand years, | be
lieye. and the fruit would be just a
4 yhnr haN