Conserving Our Fruits. 55 



by seller and buyer without breaking bulk. In this, should the 

 fruit be put from the trees, carefully assorted, and it will sell for 

 enough more than to pay the cost of package over any ordinary 

 baa- or barrel, for the near market, of course; and for home use it 

 will be found economical for potatoes as well as apples. It will be 

 seen that for convenience of hauling and packing they are just the 

 thing. Then, again, how much of our fall fruit is left to over-ripen 

 and decay for want of the prudent forethought and family industry 

 of the farmers of the east, who save, by drying, the millions of 

 bushels of apples which find so ready a market in all the west. 



All the operations of conserving fruit should be planned and pro- 

 vided for early. Early thinning of the early summer fruits is often 

 very economical. Hand pick the first fine colored specimens and 

 commence selling early, and you will gain both time and money by 

 it. Most of our grapes can be readily kept fresh for winter use, 

 provided they are carefully handled and packed away in shallow 

 boxes and kept in a dry, cool room. We have practiced putting 

 them down in stone jars, salting with sugar at the rate of three 

 pounds of sugar to ten pounds of fruit; put a light weight on the 

 top and they will form their own pickle, and will be most tooth- 

 some for a winter diet. The usual canning processes cannot be too 

 highly commended. We have put down many bushels of raspber- 

 ries and of Siberians and other apples in stone churns, first cooking 

 as for the glass jar, and then sealing with a close fitting plate and 

 wax around the rim. These summer fruits put up with or without 

 sugar can be seasoned to suit the taste, and even the very acids are 

 very acceptable toward the advent of spring. For the health and 

 enjoyments of our families as well as for economy, should we study 

 to conserve our home grown fruits. 



