292 THE APPLE CULTURIST. 



and taste will have departed, and the apples will be " only 

 common apples." Many apple cultivators approve of the 

 foregoing practice; but we have heard of so many apples 

 failing to keep satisfactorily, that we do not indorse it as 

 worthy of adoption. 



Many people lay their winter apples carefully in barrels, 

 keep them in a cool place until cold weather, then remove 

 the barrels of fruit to a good cellar. To secure the apples 

 against retaining moisture on the skin, let the opening of 

 the windows, in dry states of the atmosphere only, be par- 

 ticularly attended to, as the circulation of dry air will soon 

 absorb and carry off the natural moisture, while moist air 

 will only add to it. 



Removing the Rubbish. In many orchards, the ground 

 beneath most trees is strewn with pieces of brush, chunks 

 of wood, and numerous small stones. To prevent damage 

 to almost every apple that may fall to the ground, if it 

 happens to strike a stone or stick, let all sticks, stones, and 

 brush be removed from beneath every tree, so that the fruit 

 will not be bruised when it falls from the trees. Stones 

 and sticks should never be allowed to remain about fruit- 

 trees ; but the surface should be made smooth, and if it is 

 covered with a coat of short grass, many good winter ap- 

 ples that are blown off the trees will not be injured when 

 they fall. The fruit that falls first ought always to be 

 kept by itself, so that it may be used late in the fall, or 

 early in the winter, as such fruit will not usually keep so 

 well as that which is plucked by hand. In some instances, 

 straw is spread round about the tree for the fruit to fall 

 on as the tree is shaken. The only objection to this prac- 

 tice is that, when fruit is shaken off the trees, much of it 

 will be badly bruised by striking the branches of the tree- 

 top, and also by falling on other specimens that may be on 

 the ground. 



