22 Description and Plans of Fruit Room. 



densation of the moisture contained in the air in contact with 

 the fruit, just as a cold glass becomes dewed over when 

 brought into a warm atmosphere. If the air is indeed very 

 dry, then a proportionally greater difference of temperature is 

 necessary to produce the above effect ; but in winter the hy- 

 grometer seldom requires to be cooled more than a few de- 

 grees before it indicates a deposition of moisture. Fruits, 

 with smooth, glossy skins, in close contact with the cold sub- 

 stance beneath them, are those most profusely covered with 

 moisture from the above cause. In russeted varieties their 

 dry, rough coats serve as non-conductors of heat, and hence 

 less moisture is deposited on them. When the air becomes 

 colder than the fruit, a contrary action, — that of evaporation 

 — stakes place, and the surface of the fruit becomes dry. But 

 this wetting and drying must prove very injurious ; whilst its 

 cause, alternations of temperature, must likewise affect the 

 specific gravity of the juices of the fruit. Mr. Moorman's 

 fruit is not exposed to such vicissitudes ; for when the weather 

 becomes frosty, it is several days before the thermometer in 

 his fruit room is affected as much as one degree. 



It may be remarked that in giving air a period of the day 

 should be chosen when the thermometer outside indicates the 

 same temperature as that in the room. No deposition of moist- 

 ure can then take place in consequence. 



With regard to coolness, it is well known that this condi- 

 tion is favorable to the long-keeping of fruit ; for we act on 

 the contrary when we wish to render any variety fit for use 

 before its usual time. The fruit room in question must be 

 cooler on an average, than if it had been on the ground, for 

 the latter, under a building particularly, is much warmer than 

 the air in winter. 



Light accelerates the maturity and ultimate decay of fruit 

 exposed to its influence. If the soundest specimens are picked 

 and placed opposite a window, they soon become much infe- 

 rior in appearance, compared with those from which the light 

 is excluded, all other circumstances being the same. In Mr. 

 Moorman's fruit room, the light is excluded by a blind, even 

 when air is given. 



