ORCHARDS. 181 



stroyed and they could be immediately eaten, or used in cookery, 

 it is still a valuable discovery. It is at least a simple plan and 

 easily tested. A correspondeiit from Indiana says : "The apple 

 or potato that has been frozen, decays in consequence of sud- 

 den thawing, but if they are put, in a frozen state, into cold 

 water until the frost is expelled, and then are used, they will 

 be nearly if not quite as good as if they had not been frozen. 

 The same writer remarks, " that to keep apples from Au- 

 tumn to June, they should be placed in a shallow hole, dag 

 as if for potatoes ; the bottom is first covered with corn stalks 

 or straw, (leaves would be best) and then straw with dirt, five 

 or six inches more. No shelter is to be placed over them. 

 When the severe weather commences, and the ground, and 

 perhaps the apples, are thoroughly frozen, place straw over 

 the frozen heap, and cover the w^hole again with a coating of 

 earth'lO or 12 inches thick. The object of this is to keep 

 the first coating of earth frozen, until Spring, and then to 

 cause it to thaw very sloivly.'" Any vegetables may be pre- 

 served in this way, but we think it would sometimes be found 

 that apples treated in this manner would acquire a somewhat 

 unpleasant earthy flavor ; and, besides, they would immedi- 

 ately decay on exposure to the air. 



APPLE CELLAR OR FRUITERY. 



Where apples are to be preserved for domestic purposes, or 

 for the later markets, throughout the Winter, and in quantities, 

 a cellar expressly for this purpose should be dug ; unless the 

 farmer has a very dry one already prepared. This cellar 

 should be made on a hill if possible, or rising ground sloping 

 to the North, with openings or windows facing the North, 

 to admit the air in fine weather, and that should be attended 

 to. It should be dug in^dry, gravelly or sandy soil. It should 

 be walled with stone, brick, or wood, and of any convenient 

 depth to secure dryness, for that is the most important con- 

 sideration, save that of freezing. The height of the body of the 

 house may be 4 or 5 feet above ground and covered and planked 

 up similar to an ice house. The barrels should be placed 

 on tiers, on their sides, and the cellar kept as dark as possible. 



