216 STATE HORTICULTUKAL SOCIETY. 



than clear soft pine may be used, but at the expense, probably, of lightness. 

 Basswoocl does very well, aud even hemlock may be made to answer. 



KEEPING OF FRUIT IN A REFEIGERATOK. 



The keeping of fruit, especially of small and jierishable fruit, for several 

 days and weeks during a glut, is a very important object for fruit growers and 

 lovers of fruit. The writer had. a very pleasant visit from Mr. J. D. Baldwin, 

 of Ann Arbor, and Dr. Conkling, of Manchester, on the 9th of July, and was 

 presented with strawberries kept by Dr. Conkling for twenty days in his refrig- 

 erator. The berries were of the green prolific variety, and although they had 

 been one day exposed were perfect in size, in color, and flavor. The Doctor 

 has made further experiments in a cooling room where a cold dry air is kept 

 up. His Early York Peaches, which were kept thirty days in said room, were 

 exhibited at the county fair at Ann Arbor in good condition, without having 

 undergone any particular change. They were fully ripe and very mellow when 

 picked from the tree, and not suitable for shipment. The next experiment 

 was with later peaches put in the above room the 3d of October. They were 

 in good condition for shipment, and the variety was a seedling from Old Mixon. 

 Sixty days after picking some samples were sent to the December meeting of 

 our county pomological society, and had every appearance of perfect fruit. — 

 Emil Baur, Ann Arbor, Michigan. 



APPLES FOR EUROPE. 



In 1848, just thirty-two years ago, when ocean voyages were longer than they 

 are now, I took barrels of Northern Spy and Melon apples to show our friends 

 in Europe. These varieties were then but recently introduced, and compara- 

 tively rare. I distributed them among the leading pomologists in England, 

 France and Belgium, and all declared that they were the finest apples they had 

 ever seen. The late Mr. Elvers insisted on my sending a basket of them to 

 the queen, which I did. 



They were sent to New York by rail; made a long ocean voyage, thirteen or 

 fourteen days ; sent by rail from Liverpool to London : then packed in baskets 

 and sent by express to different places in France and Belgium, and in every 

 case were received in perfect order. I brought some back with me quite sound 

 in March, although I was twenty-one days on the water. This shows how easy 

 it is to transport apples long distances, if of fine quality aud well packed. 



The shipment of American apples is destined to be immense. But if our 

 growers and shippers desire to secui'e the best results for themselves and the 

 consumers, they will at once determine upon a thorough system of selecting 

 and packing. This applies with equal force to our home markets. Winter 

 pears sent to New York this winter, about the holidays, well selected and 

 nicely packed in half-bushel boxes, sold readily at 63 and $4 a box. With less 

 care and taste in selecting and packing, such pears might not have sold for 

 more than three or four dollars per barrel. — P. Barry, Rochester. N. Y. 



