Conserving Our Fruits. 53 



Georgia are becoming famous for the product of fruit, which is 

 largely dried for market. Oregon and Washington are also becom- 

 ing' famous for their dried, plums and prunes, as well as apples. 



For dried fruit the foreign demand is rapidly increasing. There 

 were exported during the year ending June 20, 1861, the amount 

 of $269,000; in 1871 it was $509,000; while for the year ending 

 June 30," 1877, it was $2,937,025, the amount of dried fruit being 

 14,318,052 pounds, and of preserves and canned fruits, mostly 

 peaches, $762,341 worth. This foreign demand for our dried fruits 

 is on the steady increase, and must continue as long as any surplus 

 remains beyond that necessary for home consumption. 



But any possible figures on foreign demand are feeble to express 

 the amount of fruit consumed in American households, and yet 

 with all our improved methods of saving, do we not waste frightful 

 quantities of fruit in years of abundance? This is true not only in 

 the older countries, but to a large extent in our own state. A full 

 crop finds us with no adequate facilities or preparation for its most 

 economic disposal. I have seen in one orchard in Jefferson county, 

 one hundred and fifty bushels of Fall Stripes suffered to drop from 

 the trees and fall into partial decay, and lose at least three-fourths 

 of their value before gathering, and ultimately sold at the cider 

 mill for one-half the price they would have brought, if seasonably 

 gathered (hand picked), and sent to markets where there was a 

 demand for them in their season. I have also seen the finest quality 

 of winter apples carefully picked and stored in unventilated cellars 

 or rooms, to become death struck and unfit to eat or keep. I have 

 seen good wholesome apple juice allowed to become " hard cider" 

 in the farmer's cellar, and as such, worse than thrown away, in its 

 ultimate effects upon the perverted appetite and vitiated morals of 

 the family. This " waste" is not confined to apples alone, for in 

 the handling of our small fruits how much is wasted for want of 

 more perfect system and plans for gathering, storing, keeping, 

 or marketing, and by forcing the market, to the great loss of the 

 producer. 



The Apple. — Of all fruits this is king in Pomona. The 

 " winter apple" is one which does not naturally mature its juices 

 until cold weather, and hence, if kept at an even, low tempera- 

 ture after picking in autumn, may be kept indefinitely. So [if we 

 pick our fall apples before fully matured and place them in a win- 



