Fruit may be stored before packing, giving the advantages of: 1 1 Immediate 

 storage: - ranee of only sound fruit by packing at the time of the sale; 



(3) removing the necessity of repacking at time of removal; and (4) in the 

 reduction of the c< - ;inir. as well as other minor advantages. 



With projier winter varieT' are equal advantages when the fruit is 



packed befon g . i . Saving of space in storage; (2) beneficial effect 



of wrapping-paper on keeping qualiti- - :ivenience in handling at the time 



of sale. etc. It is quite generally the practice to store loose in orchard-boxes when 

 a cold storage is not used. 



Make frequent inspections of stock to determine how it is standing up in 

 4& to prevent loss from unexpected deterioration. 



Keep even and low temperatures, with an active circulation of air at all times 

 that the outside temperature is permissible. Apples keep best at a temperature of 

 31 C Fahr. They are liable to freeze at temperatures lower than 29 D Fahr. 



PART 2. VEGETABLE STORAGE. 



The cheapest equipment to supply that a farmer can use to store vegetables is 

 the pit or trench, though a certain amount of loss is usually encountered in this 

 kind of storage. In the pit or trench may be stored such crops as the potato. 

 cabbage, celery, carrot, beet, and other root crops. 



Tut STORAGE-PIT. 



It is very necessary to have good drainage, and this may be found on a ridge 

 or slope having a loose or gravelly subsoil. The site must be well protected, for if 

 exp"~ vailing winds that sweep away the snow and penetrate the soil with 



extreme cold during winter, there is just as much danger from loss as there is if 

 the site is such as is apt to warm up rapidly with a thaw, then freeze again. Secure 

 a place that has an even exposure and one fairly sure to hold a good depth of snow. 

 Convenience is a point, as there are times when pits need to be opened in the winter 

 and a near-by location helps. 



Pits should be dug from 12 to IS inches below the surface. The depth depends 

 upon the moisture in the soil, as a deeper pit can be made in dry places. A con- 

 venient size for a pit is S x IS feet, although the length is varied to suit needed 

 capa- 



Roots or tubers are placed to a depth of from 3 to 4 feet. They must be dry 

 and clean, and a layer of straw should be placed underneath the vegetables when 

 starting the pit. A layer of hay. straw, or other roughage is then placed over the 

 vegetables to a depth of 6 to S inches, then as the weather grows colder soil is 

 thrown over this to prevent freezing. This should be done gradually as winter 

 advances. The depth of the soil covering varies with the temperature. Districts 

 having winter temperatures as low as zero will need over a foot of soil, with a 

 greater depth, especially at the base of the pit. as the temperature goes below this 

 mark. 



demand ventilation to keep vegetables from rotting, and this is done by not 

 entirely covering the pit at inter\ - rY-et and here inserting tufts of straw. 



Cupolas as shown in Fig. 11 are sometimes used for the same purpose and thus 

 prevent the entrance of moisture. These should have straw placed in the opening 

 upon the approach of winter. Some form of ventilation is absolutely necessary to 

 ensure the escajie of damp and stagnant gases, so as to have the product come out 

 in prime condition when the pit is oieued. 



TRFXCHES OB FUR; 



tables made up of leaves such as cabbage and celery will not keep well 

 when stored in large ni the pit does not serve well for these products, and 



in its place the furrow or trench is used with good results. 



For cabbage the trench is made 5 or 6 inches deep, and the cabbage is set in on 

 stem, with a layer of hay or straw on top. then soil thrown over this. Another 

 method for cabbage is to plough a double furrow and to place a width of three 



20 



