Marketing Fruit. 471 



furnish more than one-quarter the number of decayed specimens 

 through the winter as those placed at once in the warm cellar when 

 gathered. 



The walls of fruit-houses above ground may be built of brick, 

 with a hollow space between the two portions or walls, or of double 

 wood siding filled in. The windows should of course be double, or 

 the sash at least with double glass. The entrance door should also 

 be double, or made of two parts with a space' between. 



It usually happens, however, that some outhouse may be wholly 

 devoted to this purpose for the few weeks required, and used for 

 other purposes at other times. A few days before the usual time 

 of freezing up for winter, the fruit is assorted and carefully con- 

 veyed to the fruit-room. This may be an apartment in the cellar 

 or basement, entirely separated from the rest of the cellar by an 

 eight-inch brick wall, or other good partition. If there are windows 

 on opposite sides, they will admit of ventilation when required ; 

 but where this is not the case they should be placed near each end, 

 so as to cause a circulation of air throughout. Much depends on 

 the right degree of moisture or dryness in the fruit-room, and 

 other influences being the same, it depends much on the character 

 of the subsoil. If there is a fine, dry, gravelly or sandy bottom at 

 all times of the year, so as to give a perfect natural drainage, the 

 apartment will be dry enough with a smooth beaten earth floor, 

 and side walls of masonry. But if the cellar is dug in damp earth, 

 clay, or hardpan, which becomes saturated with water when long 

 rains occur, or in early spring, a good thick cement floor and 

 cement sides will be necessary. We have seen very wet cellar 

 apartments made dry enough by means of a good water-lime 

 bottom ; but when this alone is not sufficient, an additional coat- 

 ing of the same material at the sides has made the whole quite 

 dry. The windows should be hung on hinges, and hooks pro- 

 vided, so that they may be opened partly or wholly, according to 

 the temperature of the air without. Two thermometers should be 

 hung in different parts of the room, to assist in regulating the tem- 

 perature, which should be kept within a few degrees of the freezing 

 point, with as little variation as practicable. 



The fruit may be placed for keeping in boxes, drawers, or on 

 shelves. It will keep well headed up in barrels or casks, so long 

 as it remains free from decay, but when this commences the con- 

 fined air only accelerates it. For common, every-day use more 

 ready access is best, when any decaying specimens may be seen 

 and readily removed. 



