The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-31
Fruit in Cellars.

II COITCSpOuuCuI VI GAO 1FctU J'tSIofSS
Farmer has the following advice to offer
on the subject of the storage of fruit in
cellars: When the late apples and pears
are first gathered they are hard and ined-
ible, but soon alter they are stored away
important changes take place in them.
They become mellow and juicy, the
change taking place slowly or rapidly,
according to the temperature of the
place where the fruit is kept. For the
sake of the fruit it is desirable that the
change should take place slowly, for the
fruit thus ripened always proves supe-
rior to that whose maturity has been
forced by warmer temperature. The
warmer the room the faster the apples
and pears ripen, and for this reason it IS
desirable that the temperature should be
kept at only few degrees above the
freezing point.
As the fruit ripens one of the most i'm
portant changes that will take place is
the absorption of oxygen fran the air
and the giving out of carbonic acid gas.
This change is so important and so detri.
mental to the health of those living in
the same house, that if allowed to 60 on
it will in time very likely cause severe
illness. II room is used only for the
storage of apples, and the place kept
perfectly closed, the carbonic acid gas
that will be given out in short time
will be sufficient to extinguish the flame
of lamp when carried into the room,
and if person should breathe the air
long enough death would inevitably re-
suit. The gas taken in large quantities,
is poison, and even in partly closed
rooms where fir it is stored, severe head
aches and other unpleasant feelings are
produced by breathing the impure air.
1t is common practice to store large
quantities of fruit in the cellar of the
dwelling house, and great deal of dis
comfort and unpleasantness are caused
thereby, the source of which is not sus-
pected. armers who make a scientific
and intelligent study of their surround
ings have detached cellars, or those un-
der some out-building, where the fruit is
stored. Where large quantities are kept,
pit is dug in the earth below the frost
line, and some of the later pears and
apples buried there with straw until
February or March. This is a good
practice with those who can afford the
space and time tor the work; but many
have to keep the fruit in the house cellar,
if they keeE it at all. To them a few
hints may be the means of preventing
much discomfort and even sickness in
the family.
During the month of February stored.
fruit ripens more rapidly than earlier in
the year, and more of the poisonous car
bonic acid gas is given off as a result.
This gas must not be allowed to perme.
ale the dwelling house: it must be
turned off in some other channel. If
there is no chance to communicate the
cellar with the chimney and fue thus
opened, the poisonous eyhalation must
be carried away by thorough ventilation.
If the hue can be opened a current Of
air can be kept in motion at all times,
and the poison will be readily removed
from the building; hut if this is impossi-
BILE the door and windows of the cellar
should be opened on every mild day. A
thermometer should be kept hanging
in the store-rocm or cellar, and when the
mercury IS four or five degrees above
the freezing point, ventilate freely,
taking care to shut up before the tenn
perature falls.
To do all this will require considera.
BILE watchfulness and labor, but when
we consider thatit is question of health
or unhealthfulness there can be but little
doubt that few will object to doing it.
Wherever possible fruit should be stored
in cellars away from the dwelling house,
as it was never meant to be kept in the
latter place.