HOW TO KEEP GRAPES. 



A paper by W. Mead Pattison, of Clarenceville, Que., before the Quebec riort. Soc. 



N seasons of abundance, like the 

 present, the question is often 

 asked: "How can I keep grapes?" 

 Much has been written on this 

 subject, and different methods to attain 

 this object have been recommended and 

 adopted during the past few years, with 

 varying success. When grapes are in- 

 tended for keeping, care should be taken 

 that all cracked or bruised berries are 

 removed, with long pointed scissors, 

 made for the purpose, for if such are 

 left they will mould, rot and destroy 

 others. One obstacle to guard against 

 is the weight of the fruit, as stored in 

 baskets or boxes. The grapes con- 

 tinually settle, exclude the air, and 

 finally mould. The question is how can 

 we obviate this in packing ? Two 

 methods 'have been found successful in 

 the grape-growing region of Central 

 New York. Ten-pound baskets are 

 used, a layer of dry oats or sawdust is 

 placed in the bottom, and then a layer 

 of grapes, then a layer of oats or saw- 

 dust, and so on till the basket is full. 

 Bran should never be used in packing 

 fruit, as it heats. The objection to this 

 method is that the grapes cannot be 

 readily looked over during the winter, 

 and mouldy or rotten ones removed. 

 My own experience has been, that for 

 all practical purposes, the ordinary cot- 

 ton wadding in sheets is the most satis- 

 factory packing,'^cut into pieces, to cover 

 the layers in shallow grape or peach 

 baskets with wire handles, which allow 

 of their either being piled on tables or 

 hun;^ on nails to the beams in the fruit 

 ctllar. Line the sides and bottom of 

 the basket, place a layer of grapes, then 

 a layer of wadding, and so on four or 

 five layers at most. With proper per- 



caution and attention the best keepers 

 will remain in good condition till May 

 or June, although somewhat wilted at 

 the last. 



Unripe, poor and watery grapes, will 

 not keep under any condition. In 

 gathering grapes a dry day is prefer- 

 able, and great care in handling is 

 necessary. A bruised grape, like a 

 bruised apple, is sure in time to decay, 

 and affect others in proximity. Hence, 

 in a basket of grapes as we buy them in 

 market from the south and west, from 

 long carriage and solid packing, many 

 bunches are more or less bruised and 

 require all injured berries cut out before 

 packing. Grapes should not be packed 

 away till the excess of moisture in the 

 stem has dried off. This can be accom- 

 plished in fine weather in a few hours 

 by placing them in single layers in 

 baskets or on tables. 



The most important requirement after 

 packing is to keep the grapes in a con- 

 tinued low, dry and even temperature, 

 in very cold weather, as near freezing 

 point as consistent with safety. This 

 requires some watchfulness, as in the 

 fall we often have some very warm 

 days, requiring their removal to the fruit 

 cellar for a time. It is preferable to 

 store the baskets on a verandah or in 

 an airy out-building till hard frost, even 

 if they have to be covered with a blanket 

 at night. When permanently removed 

 to the fruit cellar it should be kept as 

 near the freezing point as possible during 

 the entire winter to attain that object 

 and ensure dryness. Raise the windows 

 during the day rather than the night. 

 As to varieties to select for keeping, the 

 rather thick skinned ones are the best, 

 like Salem, and others of Roger's hybrids. 



434 



