The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-06-02
Ghe 6aruler.
Apples for Maryland.

George Balderston, of Colora, Cecil coun-
ty, Nd, writes to the american Farmer,
as follows:
have long believed that our State could
produce large part of the apples we need
for our home use, not only summer and
fall, but also winter frnit, and have been
interested in the business, and engaged in
it, also, to some extent, for the past TWEEN
ty-fve years, during which time opportu-
nifty has been given to learn some things
in reference to the business, and to try
some experiments that may be of value to
others. That we can grow apples in album
dance and of good quality is proven, or,
perhaps, we may say has never been denied,
but is there any profit to the grower is the
question?
A fair comparison may be made with
the kindred industry of peach growing.
Apples do not come into bearing so soon,
but last longer when in profit; do not
always command so high price, but are
not so perishable, aud will produce as many
bushels to the acre as the former, with as
little or less labor We can, by selecting
the varieties we plant, have them ripe from
the tree all the season of peaches, and keep
them fresh during the winter and into the
warm weather of spring. And the profit
also is dependent upon the same conditions
of having fruit in the best condition when
it is exposed for sale. The latter point is
one that has never received the attention
it deserves from intelligent men, and will
presume to give few observations upon
it, drawn from the experience OF several
wears. during which we have sold many
barrels of apples in Philadelphia and Bal,
timore, enough to prove that We could sell
ten times as many more readily, for the
business. once started, advertises itself.
Though apples do not show the effect OF
bruising as soon as peaches, they suffer in
the same proportion, and should be handled
with nearly equal care. No apples that
have fallen to the ground should be put IN
the same package for market as hand-picked
fruit, and all inferior specimens should be
culled out. During hot weather peach
crates or baskets are the best to market
them in. This gives them plenty Of air
and the opportunity of cooling off quickly,
which they cannot do when put into tight
barrels. They ferment and generate heat
in the barrel if tightly closed at first, and
this seems to render it undesirable to use
the barrel to ship in, when apples go from
the orchard directly to market in hot
weather A few days cooling is great
beaeft to them at any time. They ripen
up more evenly and uniformly in dark
place, and are improved in quality also,
nearly as much as pears.
There is generally time when fruit is
plenty, in the height of peach season, when
it is hard to sell many apples and only the
best are worth marketing. We have tried
the expedient of putting them in an ice
house, loosely in the barrels, at this season,
and after ten days or two weeks take them
out and repaek for market. Apples that
would not sell for S1.00 as picked, will so
improve in appearance by ripeninG up in a
cold, dark place as to readily command
from $500 to $3.50 per barrel, and they
can thus be held until sold, or the market
will take them. These and other similar
experiences have demonstrated the desira-
bility of having places for the cool storage
of fruit, where it is grown in any consider
able quantity for market. These same
storage cellars are then used with equal
profit to preserve our late apples through
the winter.
The matter of the preservation Of fruit
from decay is largely one of temperature,
and the nearer 400 apples can be kept, the
better for them. Dampness does not ap-
pear to hurt them when they are cold
enough to prevent the growth of mould
and mildew in the barrels, or on surround
ing walls or boards. They are nearly as
susceptible as butter to the communicating
influence of bad odors, and any such spoil
their favor. An old -four barrel, with a
trace of meal or -four adhering, will spoil
all the fruit put in it when kept in an or
binary cellar. Sugar barrels do not get
musty SO quickly, but you may notice that
all the apples sent to market, (where it is
made bnsiness), are put 10 clean new
eanes.
Apple growing for market can hardly
be said to be business in most parts of
this state, though there are few localities
where it is done with success and there is
no reason why the culture cannot be extern
ded. We grow enough to prove that we
can do it, We need more diversified
industry, and to grow at home what our
home markets need. We can and do grow
apples here that will keep all winter, but,
with better accommodations, especially pro-
vided for cool, sweet storage for them, the
business can be increased indefinitely.