Transactiotis Illhiols State Horticultural Society. 243 



to keep it uniformly cool frotu the time of picking, and as near the freezing point as 

 possible. This may be measurably attained by admitting the air at night, and clos- 

 ing it in the day-time until hard weather comes on. It is the true secret of greatest 

 success. 



Before leaving this branch of the subject, I would say that all plans for the 

 preservation of fruits in their natural state aim .T,t keeping them just above freezing 

 point; as Nyce's, Schooley's, etc., are founded upon principles only differing in the 

 details. One other plan that ma}^ receive a passing notice is Smith's method of 

 driving out the atmospheric air from the packages containing the fruit, by means of 

 the introduction of carbonic acid and nitrogen through a tube ; this is effected by first 

 passing a current of common air through a vessel of burning charcoal ; and, although 

 the plan is feasible, it has not resulted in profit. 



We now come to preservation of fruits by drying. This plan has been practiced 

 from remote times by simple exposure to the air ; but the fruit becomes so black 

 from oxygenation and dust, that its market value is slight. In order to be saleable 

 it must be dried by the application of heat. This is performed in a variety of ways 

 by the simple radiation of heat, and by currents of hot air forced either up through 

 the prepared fruit, or down from above. The last is, we believe, the Ruttan system, 

 and is used principally for drying grain. 



Mr. Dunlap, a member of the committee, spoke of the liquid products of fruits, 

 cider and cider-vinegar. He claimed to know how to make cider and cider-vinegar, 

 and what he should say upon the subject had been gathered from his own experience 

 and practice. 



When your apples begin to drop from the tree, then is the time to begin to gather 

 them. You assort the perfect specimens for market, and the remainder, which is 

 sometimes the half of the crop, are to be made into cider or cider-vinegar. The 

 best cider is made from sound winter fruit. Some varieties of apples often ripen 

 their fruit prematurely, and you must be prepared to utilize the product by putting 

 the same into cider or vinegar. Ordinarily one half of the summer apples must go 

 into cider-vinegar, which will, under proper treatment, be ready for the market a 

 year after. 



I was in an orchard this summer, where there were not less than seven hundred 

 bushels of apples that were allowed to drop from the trees, because the owner said 

 it would not pay to ship them, and these were fine, beautiful red-cheeked apples as 

 any could wish, and would have made from two thousand five hundred to two thou- 

 sand eight hundred gallons of the best cider, that could have been sold for twenty- 

 five cents per gallon. 



The orchardist must be prepared to avail himself of every advantage in his situation. 

 He must be independent of the apple market. I say to my customers, when you 

 can pay me fifty cents per bushel for my apples you can have them. When the price 

 falls below that I press them. I have cider made on the thirteenth day of August, 

 that is sweet and good. I know that if I can't make the apples pay, I can make the 

 cider pay, and the refuse, not fit for market at any time, is put into vinegar. 



Some say rotten apples won't make good vinegar. This is a mistake. The Shaker 

 vinegar, so much sought after and praised, is made of rotton apples, exposed to the 



