GATHEEmG AKD PEESEEVATION OP FEUITS. 



the fruit temporarily, and lias a narrow moulding round the edge to keep it from 

 falling off. All the shelves have similar borders. 



" Such is the mode of construction we propose for a fruit-room, by the aid of which 

 we can easily obtain many of the results we have indicated as necessary ; that is to 

 say, it will enable us to maintain an equal temperature of 46 to 50 deg. Fahrenheit 

 above zero, and that the action of the light is prevented. As for the other necessary 

 conditions, we shall presently point out the means to secure them. In certain circum- 

 stances, much of the expense of a construction like the above might be avoided. If, 

 for example, there were a subterranean cave or a grotto in a rock, a fruit-room might 

 be established in either place, provided they be very dry. The interior fitting up 

 would be the same. 



" As the fruits are brought into the fruit-room, they are deposited on the table, 

 which is covered with a thin layer of dry moss. There they are assorted ; each 

 variety is placed separate, and all unsound and bruised specimens are taken out. The 

 sound fruits are left on the table two or three days, in order that they may part with 

 some of their moisture. The shelves are then covered with a thin layer of dry moss 

 or cotton, to prevent the fruits from being bruised by their own weight. We then 

 proceed to wipe the fruits lightly with a piece of soft flannel, and arrange them in 

 rows on the shelves, leaving a space of a fourth of an inch between each, and keeping 

 each variety separate, and placing similar varieties next each other. 



" The fruit-room may not only serve for the j^reservation of 

 kernel fruits, but for grajycs. The Chasselas varieties in par- 

 ticular keep well in this way. We proceed with them as fol- 

 lows : Each bunch is cleared of all decaying or unsound berries 

 and fixed by the 2^oint on a small wire hook formed like an S 

 (fig. 4). Thus attached it is less liable to decay, as the berries 



have a tendency to separate 

 from each other. The bunch- 

 es are then hung by the other 

 end of the S hook around one 

 or two hoops (fig. 6) placed one 

 above the other, and suspended from the ceiling of 

 the room, and rendered moveable by two small pul- 

 lies. If it be desired to keep in this way a large 

 quantity of grapes, space may be economized by sub- 

 stituting for the hoops wooden frames (fig. 6) about 

 four feet square. These frames are furnished with 

 strips or rods separated from each other by a space 

 of 3 or 4 inches, and having on one side small pins 

 to suspend the crotchets of grapes on. These frames 

 are also fixed to the ceiling so as to occupy all the 

 surface, and, like the hoops, to move up and dow 

 may be necessary. 



