HARVESTING AND MARKETING l8l 



There is a diversity of custom with respect to put- 

 ting up the apples for storage. Usually they are 

 stored in barrels, but the reason for this is often that 

 the fruit handles more easily rather than that men 

 have any notion that the apples will keep better when 

 put up in that way. In fact, a good many fruit- 

 growers who practice home storage of apples habit- 

 ually store the fruit in bins. This is not the best 

 method. In fact, it may fairly be questioned whether 

 storage in bins is ever good practice. If fruit is to 

 be stored for a short time only it is better to have it 

 in a small package. If the package is open or ven- 

 tilated, so much the better. The cold air reaches all 

 parts of the receptacle and cools off all the fruit. If 

 apples are to remain some time in storage, however, it 

 is better to have them in closed packages. Probably 

 the best that can be done is to have them headed up 

 in barrels. In open packages the fruit is likely to be 

 injured by wilting. 



Wrapping of the fruit in papers as it is* put into the 

 package nearly always helps it to keep better. It ex- 

 tends the life of apples in storage, under favorable 

 conditions, a month or more. 



A word ought to be said in this connection with re 

 gard to the scald. This is a malady which appears 

 badly on stored fruit sometimes, especially in certain 

 varieties, such as Rhode Island Greening. It seems to 

 show worse on fruit that is picked before it is well 

 colored and thoroughly ripe. A warm temperature 

 in the storage room also tends to promote the devel- 

 opment of the scald. 



