OJ? FRUIT TREES. 121 



ing the directions of Mr. F. I should prefer the fol- 

 lowing mode : take a quantity of clay, let it be thor- 

 oughly dried in the sun, and reduced to fine powder ; 

 and while packing apples in dry casks, instead oi sand, 

 let each layer by covered with the clay powder. This 

 will secure them from the air, absorb the moisture that 

 exudes, keep the fruit cool and dry, and preserve their 

 flavour. The fruit thus packed may be removed im- 

 mediately from the tree into the cellar. It is a good 

 practice adopted by some persons, to store their ap- 

 ples on long broad shelves erected against the v?alls 

 of a cellar secure from frost. These shelves may be 

 constructed one tier above another, and the apples 

 carried directly from the tree and spread so as 

 to lay separately. This method- has been found to 

 answer every purpose; the apples may be sorted oc- 

 casionally with little trouble without bruising, and the 

 expense will be less than if barrels are employed. A 

 captain of a whale ship has just informed me that he 

 has found the best method to preserve vegetables (po- 

 tatoes and beets) on a long voyage, is to pack them in 

 lime casks and to sift some air slacked lime over them ; 

 this absorbs the moisture, secuies them from the ef- 

 fects of heat, and prevents in a great measure, pota- 

 toes from sprouting. By this method he has preserv- 

 ed potatoes over a year in a better condition than by 

 any other. H.e is of opinion that this would be an 

 eligible method for preserving apples and pears, and I 

 have resolved this season to test the experiment ac- 

 cordingly. 



