134 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



year he came for more, and I sold him twenty barrels at the same price, 

 z.x\6. he paid for the barrels. But the people won't believe you have got 

 cider vinegar; I want to be honest, and sell a good article, but I can't 

 sell any great amount of either cider or vinegar at the high prices named. 

 You can't make money very fast selling cider; you had better feed your 

 poor apples to your old horses. It will make them feel young. 



Mr. Starr — Had you not better sell the old horses? 



Dr. Long — No, sir ! I say, keep the old horses for the good they 

 have done you. 



In the matter of drying fruit, I never succeeded very well, but I have 

 succeeded best, when I have given the apples to the neighboring families 

 and let them dry them in the sun, and return me half the product. I have 

 made more money that way than in any other method of drying apples. 



Mr. Starr — I think the free discussion allowed on cider this year, 

 will justify me in bringing a bottle of wine to Galesburg next year. 

 (Laughter.) Cider kept good till spring could be readily sold for ten 

 dollars per barrel. 



Mr. Leslie offered a resolution encouraging the formation of co- 

 operative associations for the purpose of utilizing fruits, which was 

 withdrawn after a very brief discussion. 



Mr. Wier — Mr. Dunlap, of Champaign, had a method of heating 

 his cider to keep it sweet — by heating it to the boiling point and skim- 

 ming it ; but his method destroys, in a measure, the flavor of the cider, 



Mr. Robison — I think Mr. Wier has misunderstood Mr. Dunlap. 

 He does not, he told me, boil his cider, but raises it to a certain heat, 

 but of the precise degree of heat to which it should be raised he had not 

 determined ; if it became too hot it affected the taste, and was not so 

 good. Mr. Robison recommended the bushel box used by Mr. Dunlap, 

 hi the orchard, in harvesting the apple crop. 



Mr. Wier — The barrel is the best package in which to send apples 

 to the market. My plan is to pick apples in bags thrown over the shoulder, 

 and pour them upon the ground in the shade of the trees, where they are 

 left until ready to ship, when they are put in barrels. I have tried a good 

 many plans, and I like this best ; the only objection is, that if there comes 

 a rain the apples on the outside of the pile get dirty. There is no such 

 thing as apples sweating in the pile or barrel ; the sweating is condensa- 

 tion of moisture in the air. 



Dr. Long — I prefer to handle apples in bushel baskets with a yoke; 

 one man will carry two baskets, and with less damage to the apples. I 

 send a boy and a man together ; the boy gets up in the tree and the man 



