276 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



For this purpose finely cut straw used generously in the barrels 

 answers a good purpose ; leaves from the forest or from the apple-trees 

 themselves I consider equally as good. But the best results I think have 

 been obtained by packing in sand thoroughly dried in the sun by 

 repeated stirring up and turning over, or in the stove. By this process 

 you may rely upon apples with all the better qualities retained, and that 

 cannot fail to be appreciated by yourselves and your friends when placed 

 before them. With these few remarks I leave the subject for the other 

 members of the committee. 



D. F. Kinney, of Rock Island, sent in the following, which was 

 read by Secretary Galusha : 



Apples should be gathered only when dry and very carefully handled, 

 never thrown into the basket, but laid in with the hand. Some varieties 

 should be picked early, while some others are improved by remaining 

 longer on the tree, particularly Willow Twig and Janet. 



They should be kept as cool as possible, and if they should freeze a 

 little no damage will ensue if they are kept in the dark and excluded 

 from the air. 



DISCUSSION UPON THE REPORTS. 



Mr. Slade. — I have eaten apples which had been lightly frozen and 

 thawed three times, which were good. 



I tried this experiment : I headed up tight a barrel of Willow and a 

 barrel of Ben Davis in autumn, put the barrels at the north side of my 

 house and covered them lightly, letting them remain all winter. They 

 froze solid and remained so all winter, and when thawed out in spring 

 were worthless except for vinegar — the freezing was too severe. 



Mr. Minkler. — If apples get frozen on the trees before gathering 

 don't pick them for a day or two, and they will recover if not frozen 

 very hard. If they get frozen in a pile in the orchard cover them well 

 with straw and let them thaw out under the straw. We usually wait too 

 long before picking our apples. I now pick all sorts, even the Janet and 

 Willow Twig, before the first day of October, and find they keep better 

 than those of same sorts picked later. 



The President. — Each variety, both of fruits and vegetables, has 

 its zero point — a degree of cold to which it can be subjected and recover 

 from its effects. Thus the zero point of the bean is but about 34°, while 

 the pea will recover from a temperature several degrees below freezing, 

 and the cabbage will endure a still colder temperature without damage. 



So in apples, we find some varieties good after being subjected to a 

 temperature which would destroy others. Every orchardist may soon 

 learn which sorts may be safely exposed to slight freezings. 



