KEEPING. 



93 



or mist, and forced with the air through the main pipe 

 leading under the berries. 



The coloring process may be assisted, also, by spread- 

 ing the fruit four or five inches thick upon a shaded floor, 

 and leaving them thus for a few weeks. This fact was 

 well known to the enterprising inhabitants of the " Pines," 

 who were wont to gather the natural cranberries in an 

 unripe condition, in order to secure them before their 

 neighbors. The white specimens thus obtained were in- 

 variably spread out and colored under an arbor of green 

 boughs and leaves, made thick enough to exclude the 

 sun's rays. 



More or less decay will always result fiom attempting 

 to keep cranberries througli 

 the winter; and the grower 

 who stores for a higher price 

 will find it to his interest to 

 sort the berries before selling 

 them. The sound fruit usually 

 becomes well colored by keep- 

 ing, and will command the 

 highest market price when of- 

 fered for sale; while the soft 

 berries are generally acceptable 

 to the pie makers,at lower rates. 



If they require winnowing previous to sorting, a fan, 

 similar to that represented in figure 34, will be found a 

 decided improvement upon the grain fan, so commonly 

 used for this purpose. 



The endless apron, A, forming the bottom of the hop- 

 per, gradually carries the berries forward, and drops them 

 upon the inclined plane, B, from whence they pass to the 

 barrel. Motion is imparted to this apron by a belt con- 

 necting w^ith the farther end of the fan axle. While the 

 berries are passing through the air channel, C, a strong 

 current from the blower separates the trash from the fruit. 



Fiff. 34.— CKANBERRY FAN. 



