The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-10-06
CHEMISTRY OF FRUIT.
How to Pack Apples So ~ To Prevent
Decay Before Packing.

'f'hN '''i'''
An upplc or any other fruit is really
living thing. No matter how ripe 1t
may be, it Is still alive aud breathing,
and it undcrgocs progressive physiO-
logical changes which are akin to those
which occur in plants and animals.
Long after il has boon pluckcd from tho
trco, the apple continues TO develop
and 10 ripcu until thas passed through
the Scvon ages which the poet tells of,
and has rum ont a torn of life which
may Justly enough bc compared with
the thrco score years and ten which
span our human oNi7tcncc. II is hardly
TO be- supposed that IL twould bc possible
wholly To arrest this natural course of
life Of the ripcning apple, rs a means
of preserving it ia an edible state. To
stop the fruit from breathing would
cause its death, and death would be
followed 10y chemical changes which
could hardly fail TO alter in some way
the texture and flavor Of the materials
of which the food is composed. 1t is
true enough that by Keeping the apple
cool it may be- mado 10 ripcn with oX-
trcmo slowncss and thus be granted II
long lease Of life. This much is dono
to-day in many fruit-proscrying cstab-
lshmcu's and it is 10 be notol that be-
sides putting OIL, as it woro, old ago
and dccrcpitudo, the method of rcfrig-
Grafton has the further mcrito Keeping
quiet the microscopic organisms which
cause decay.
In cases where refrigeration Is inn
practicable. the aim should bo to shield
the fruit from the attacks of the micro
scopic organisms just rofcrrcd TO-.
Many kinds of apples (thc RoNbury
Russct, forcNumplc) arc tolrrably we'll
protected uroaly by tough and warm
pei the pigmy foe Every ono knows,
for that matter. how much moro quickly
decay sets IN whom the skin of m apple
is broken. or oven bruised, than when
the skin is whole. Since the air of most
localities contains many germs OF the
organisms which cause decay. some
slight advantage is probably gained 10y
! kccpiug fruit covered in ordor to pre-
vent the go,m, from falling upon 1t.
The putting ot fruit into boxes or bar
rcls, the huryjug OF II in sand, or the
moro throwing upon il OF a laycr of
straw, or clean cloth or some boards
/ probably hclps to shield IL. But care
must hc taken not 10 pac, or cover NJ
fruit In such wjsc that the conditions
! shall bc favorable for It's sweating, for
whenever moisture is deposited upon
fruit. decay Is greatly favored. Ii !,
not we'll cithcr 10 leave fruit lying IN
great heaps on 10 pack 1t in very larg,
boxes lest heat enough bC developed {,
hastcu the ripcning and 20 bring on dc
cay.
One fundamental trouble Is that thcr,
arc always some microbes clingiug 3,
the fruit itself when IL il taken from
the tree. which are ready to avail
themselves Of any circumstances, such
as n conjunction OF moisture ant
warmth. which may bc helpful foi
their development II Il were hut pos
siblc 20 "stcrilize' fruit completely
T. c.. 60 free e from all adhcring germs
81 would be- a comparatively easy mat
ter to hinder decay 10y Keeping tn,
fruit in rcccptaclcs to which air shoul,
have noaccess until IL had bccn fltcrcl
or made 60 pass through some disin
fccting or gcrmicidc liquid. Indeed.
mcrc layer Of cotton batting place,
upon fruit that had bccn completed,
] freed from germs supposing 1t wcr