54 Wisconsin State Horticultural Society. 



try atmosphere at once, they will become " winter apples" soon as 

 the winter comes. This accomplished, they will have double or 

 treble their selling value, simply by keeping for a winter market. 



That this is entirely feasible has been shown by repeated and 

 well-known demonstration. Several patent processes are now in, 

 use, the secret of all being a low, even temperature, with the 

 proper degree of moisture for a given variety, so that neither 

 evaporation nor saturation of the original juices may occur in the 

 keeping quarters. The total exclusion of atmospheric change*, ex- 

 cept through sub-earth ventilation, seems likely to be the most fea- 

 sible plan for fruit houses, but the'ventilation must be thorough or 

 all will be lost. For the average farmer, low sheds, heavily thatched 

 with straw extending to the ground, and the fruit room partly exca- 

 vated or below ground, will be found a great aid to the keeping of 

 fall and winter apples for a period of one or two months before 

 severe weather, or even all winter if secure from frost. Utter 

 darkness and quiet, as well as good ventilation and a cool, moist 

 air, are needful for safe keeping of apples. The Russets have a 

 very porous skin, and so will wilt in a dry air from evaporation 

 where a Fameuse will keep plump. The Russet should therefore 

 have a moist and rather cool atmosphere, and is generally better 

 for barreling at once when gathered. 



No amount of after care will compensate for careless handling of 

 fruit or prolong its keeping when fully matured. The apple and 

 pear should be carefully gathered by hand before fully matured, 

 when firm and not fully ripe, and put away at once in close quar- 

 ters. If carefully assorted when picked, they should not be han- 

 dled over again until put into the market, and better not then, 

 unless absolutely necessary. 



I cannot recommend too highly the use of the bushel box or 

 crate for the use of all choice apples. Two ten-inch boards, seven- 

 eighths of an inch thick and ten inches long, form the ends. The 

 sides, bottom and top are made of common pine lath cut in two 

 once and nailed all round with lath nails, except the bottom with 

 four-penny. You have here a crate twenty-two and one-quarter 

 inches long, ten inches wide and ten inches deep, inside measure, 

 which will hold one bushel even measure, if well packed, at a cost 

 to us of five cents each, which can be examined at any time with- 

 out disturbing the fruit. Its condition and value can be ascertained 



