SORTING — KEEPING QUALITIES. 673 



ends. Then I take a bunch of Lith and saw them in two in 

 the middle , nail four of these pieces on to the ends of the 

 boards for the sides of the crate, with five on one side for the 

 bottom, then one on each side of the top, so they can be set 

 top of each other. When I use them for marketing, I shake 

 down and pack full, nailing on the other three pieces, thus 

 making a nice bushel, convenient to handle in the wagon or 

 fruit house. These can be made at odd times before needed 

 for use, and be snugly packed away till wanted. I lind them 

 especially convenient for marketing the early fruit in a retail 

 way near at home. If the crates do not go with the apples, 

 pack them away for another year's use. 



SORT APPLES. 



Another important aid in selling is to have the apples sorted 

 so as to appear uniform in size, packing the small ones by 

 themselves, to sell for what they will bring. Don't understand 

 me as recommending the use of crate boxes for all kinds of 

 apples, only where they are convenient in either orchard or 

 fruit house. Different kinds need very different handling. 

 Most of the early and Fall apples should have access to the 

 air, while such as have a tendency to shrivel, require close 

 packages. These are the Fall Swaar, and nearly all the rus- 

 sets, and some others, which, if left open, soon become tough 

 and nearly worthless. Always be careful to have the pack- 

 ages pressed and secured closely before sending to market. 



KEEPING QUALITIES. 



Now let us consider the keeping of apples. From this 

 season's experience, having had to endure three weeks of 

 unbroken August weather in the month of October, and now 

 finding, as was generally apprehended, that apples in the ordi- 

 nary way are not keeping, the question comes forcibly, 

 *' What can we do in time to come to meet the same kind of an 

 emergency, to which our climate seems to be so subject ? " I 

 have sought, and am still hoping, for a better answer than I 

 am able to give. The importance of having suitably con- 

 structed fruit houses, forces itself upon my mind as a necessity 



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