378 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



cool it is not essential to have them in a dry place, although, if too warm, 

 moisture hastens decay. Next to fresh fruit, that evaporated by the Williams 

 and Alden processes is best. It is superior in flavor to canned fruit, and will 

 keep a long time. 



The Vice President asked if grapes could be injured by bruising, so as to 

 cause decay, if the skin is not broken. 



Mr. Bidvvell is satisfied they can be, and require as much care in this respect 

 as any other fruit. 



Mr. J. E. Windoes could not succeed in satisfactorily keeping and ripening 

 the Winter Nellis until he closed them up in half-barrels, put them in a cool 

 cellar and left them undisturbed until June, when he brought them into a 

 warm room, and in a few days they were as melting and delicious as Seckel. 

 Had known of the Lady apple — which was otherwise dry and very poor — being 

 kept in this way until the first of February, and then sold in New Y"ork city 

 for $15 per barrel. Fruit should be kept as cool as possible, without freezing, 

 until full time for ripening, and then brought into a warm room to ripen. 



Mr. A. Voorhees suggested the inquiry whether fruit would keep and develop 

 best in the light or dark. His experience was decidedly in favor of no light. 



Mr. Windoes confirmed this by instances of his experience. 



Mr. Bailey's experience was the same. A deep, cool, dark cellar of even 

 temperature was the place. Could keep fruit the longest wrapped in paper 

 and placed in stone jars. Kept apples until June every year that way. Bald- 

 wins and Greenings would keep better than others, after being bruised, as the 

 bruise would dry. Northern Spy would not keep after being bruised. 



Mr. C. J. Monroe stated that his father had kept apples very successfully 

 placed on shelves of slats in the cellar — which was very cool and of eveu tem- 

 perature — also had kept them until June, by picking them very carefully, 

 putting them at once into barrels, these in a hole two and a half feet deep, 

 covered by a roof of boards and earth, both ends being left open until freezing 

 weather, when they were closed up and protected with straw. They were not 

 disturbed until late in the spring, when they were very sound, fresh, and crisp, 

 but they rotted badly in a week or ten days after opening. 



Mr. Loveday's experience with buried apples was similar to Mr. Monroe's. 



Mr. W. H. Hurlbut observed that light was favorable to fruit while growing, 

 but detrimental after it was picked. Fruit was generally left on the tree too 

 long to keep well. The objection to a circulation of air was that it was not 

 uniform. If cool enough, dampness did not injure. Leaves placed among the 

 fruit were successful as an absorbent of the sweat. Apples would keep best 

 picked carefully into barrels and placed in a deep, cool, dark cellar without 

 circulation of air. 



Mr. J. Williams said a healthy, perfect growth is essential. Place as soon as 

 picked, in barrels lined with heavy paper; leave undisturbed until you wish to 

 ship or use, then sort and repack. The least exposure to liglit and air the 

 better. The best way of preserving perishable fruit was by the evaporating 

 process of Alden, Smith, or Williams. Sauce from fruit so preserved was so 

 nearly like that from fresh fruit the difference could hardly be noticed. 



Mr. Windoes stated that apples were often kept through the winter, frozen 

 solid in the barrel, allowed to thaw out before disturbing, and were as though 

 never frozen, but they would not keep long after being thawed out. 



Messrs. Monroe, Voorhees, and D. B. Williams had known them to be so 

 kept successfully. Mr. Hurlbut had lost two lots in that way. 



