WINTER MEETING, 1877. 17 



:iiid tasteless in April. To make tlio jjoiiit })ractical I will say that on the 

 10th of September I picked a barrel of English Streaks, headed it loosely, 

 turned it down under the tree,, and left it till winter suggested taking it to the 

 cellar. 



Six weeks later, I picked a barrel of apples from the same tree equally sound 

 and took them to the cellar with the others. I opened both barrels in January, 

 the last picked had not a peck of sound a})i)les in the Vnirrel, the first had not 

 a peck of bad ones, I have the latter in my cellar to-day. Tliese results speak 

 for themselves. 



In my opinion the apple should be picked as soon as fully grown. It sliould 

 not l)e ripe. Kipeness and maturity of growth are quite different things. We 

 deem our apples mature at ordituiry time of picking, yet they may not be ripe 

 strictly speaking till mid-winter. 



I do not purpose to discuss tlie question of handling or style of package — 

 whether it is best to place in barrels, bins or upon shelvei=, wliether to pack the 

 fruit by itself or with cut straw, sawdust or chaff. This I will say that the 

 time of picl'ing has more to do with the preservation of the ai:)ple than many 

 ai'e yet willing to concede. 



The practice of heading tight barrels as soon as the apples are picked is 

 much to be deprecated. Apples, in common with otlier fruits, as well as grain, 

 go through a process of sweating, v.hicli if not open to the air will cause decay. 

 Two weeks ought to elapse from picking to time of packing. A wide board 

 with three cleats across it to prevent warping and splitting will afford a suita- 

 ble cover for a dozen barrels standing in a row in the orchard. Putting the 

 fruit in an airy storeliouse is, however, better, there the package can be headed 

 at leisure. 



The advantage of early picking will be observed in noting the relative effect 

 of decay caused by contact. I speak, of course, of decay from other than 

 the breaking down of the tissues attending over-ripeness — that wliich is of the 

 nature of a fungus growth. Let any wishing to test tiie relative facilitv with 

 which this fundus fastens upon ripe and unripe fruit, try the experiment, and 

 mark the result. Let a bit of skin, upon Avliich this fungus has started, be 

 detached, and be placed in contact with a sound, ripe apple; let a similar 

 piece be placed upon an apple comparatively green, and under favorable con- 

 ditions such as dampness and warmth, the poison will be communicated to the 

 ripe ap])le, while the other will for a long time resist the contagion. Or to 

 simplify the experiment, break the skin of a rotton apple, and bring the meat 

 in contact with a ripe late picked apple, and at the same time Avith one 

 picked early, and mark the facility with which the decay will be communicated 

 to the riper apple. I claim no originality for this experiment, although I have 

 proved the truth by actual tests. 



Aside from judicious picking, there is room for other suggestions as to the treat- 

 ment of our apples before the time for placing them in our cellars. Inasmuch 

 as it is good policy to handle the fruit as little as possible, many persons depre- 

 cate the plan of sorting and repacking fruit before going into winter storage. 

 To this I would myself object if the apples are to be placed in barrels when 

 first picked, but I am speaking now of large orchards where Ave must depend 

 upon irresponsible labor in picking the fruit, besides it is impossible to pick 

 Avith expedition, if great care is to be taken in sorting at the time of }ticking. 

 The fruit should be placed upon the clean sward, in the orchard and then sorted 

 and placed in barrels, by some one sufficiently interested to take proper care, 



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