472 Appendix. 



THERMOMETERS IN FRUIT-ROOMS. The keeping of apples and 

 other fruit depends greatly on the temperature. If the room is too 

 closely shut, from a fear of freezing, the fruit may decay in a few 

 weeks ; if kept cold, and with some circulation of air, it will 

 remain sound until spring. The truth is, too much is left to guess- 

 work, and hence, while sometimes the temperature may be up to 

 fifty or sixty, it may, on the other hand, run down below freezing 

 on the occurrence o'f a cold snap, the owner or attendant not 

 always being able to judge. Thermometers are cheap, and such 

 cheap ones will answer the purpose well, not usually varying more 

 than a degree or two at ordinary temperatures. Hang one near 

 the ceiling, and another near the ground. Let the windows of the 

 fruit room be hung on hinges, so that they may be opened to any 

 degree. By means of these windows and the thermometers, the 

 temperature may be kept down to within a few degrees of freezing, 

 if Uiey are examined say twice a day, or night and morning, and 

 the fruit kept sound and fresh, and the owner will no longer work 

 in the dark or by guesswork. 



KEEPING FRUITS. The following rules for keeping fruits are 

 from the proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society of 

 England : 



1 . As the flavor of fruit is so easily affected by heterogeneous 

 odors, it is highly desirable that the apple and pear rooms should 

 be distinct. 



2. The walls and the floor should be annually washed with a 

 solution of quicklime. 



3. The room should be perfectly dry, kept at as uniform a tem- 

 perature as practicable, and be well ventilated, but there should 

 not be a thorough draught. 



4. The utmost care should be taken in gathering the fruit, which 

 should be handled as little as possible. 



5. For present use, the fruit should be well ripened ; but if for 

 long keeping, it is better, especially with pears, that it should not 

 have arrived at complete maturity. This point, however, requires 

 considerable judgment. 



6. No imperfect fruit should be stored with that which is sound, 

 and every more or less decayed specimen should be immediately 

 removed. 



7. If placed on shelves, the fruit should not lie more than two 

 deep, and no straw should be used. 



