THE GENESEE FARMER. 



319 



CHEAP AND EFFICIENT MODE OF 

 SAVING APPLES. 



Mr. Editor: — I send you a description of a new 

 and interesting method of saving winter apples, whicli 

 a neighbor, Mr. Amos Chambers, has found out and 

 practiced for three seasons with success. It consists 

 in making a hirge box of inch boards, sufficient to 

 hold several M'agon loads, which is lined up with the 

 same material, and nailed to two-inch scantling, leav- 

 ing that space between the outside and inside ; the 

 bottom is made of lattices ; and the whole rests on 

 the ground upon four-inch scantling. The winter 

 apples are carefully gathered and put into this box, 

 which is placed near the middle of the orchard, in 

 the shade of an Apple tree. The top of the box is 

 covered over with boards in the same manner as the 

 sides, with two thicknesses, leaving a space between 

 them — the top course made water-proof, to exclude 

 the rain. It is left in this manner until just before 

 the commencement of hard frosts that would be liable 

 to freeze the apples; the box is then banked up with 

 earth a few inches around the bottom, to exclude the 

 air from going under it, the casing of two inches around 

 the box is filled with dry loam or any kind of dry 

 earth, and the top under the roof is also covered to 

 the depth of an inch or two with earth, which effectu- 

 ally excludes the air from the ajiples; they then freeze 

 up solid, and no rotting takes place, and will be found 

 in excellent condition in the spring ; and it is rather 

 surprising that the flavor is not in the least injured. 

 The air is left to circulate freely through the apples 

 in the fall, through the latticed bottom — the cover 

 being laid on loose, so as only to shed the rain. 

 An openmg, with a lock-up shutter, may be made 

 near the top of the box, for the convenience of taking 

 out apples at any time. 



The above plan makes it an easy matter to house 

 the apples without removing them from the orchard. 

 Now, I would propose from the above data, that fruit- 

 growers erect a neat and ornamental building in their 

 orchards, or in some convenient place, to be built on 

 the same principle, to be lined up in a similar man- 

 ner, and the casing filled with earth, or any substance 

 that will exclude air and act as a partial non-con- 

 ductor of heat, with means for ventilating in the fall. 



From some cause, there are very few cellars that 

 will preserve apples or other fruit during a Canadian 

 winter. Having tasted of the apples alluded to, I 

 can bear evidence that they have preserved the finest 

 flavor, and been kept to the date I am now writing. 

 There is a difficulty in other methods, in keeping the 

 temperature at a certain point in this severe and 

 changeable climate, which would be otherwise neces- 

 sary for preserving apples. 



Yours, respectfully, T. G. Willson. 



Ontario, Saltfleet, C. W., May 16, 18.54. 



If you have barren fruit trees, in poor soils, break 

 np oyster shells finely, and mix them with ashes, and 

 dig them in about the roots. Oyster shells have saline 

 matter attached to them, with some animal matter, 

 and much lime. The ash of the wood and bark of 

 the Apple tree shows a large per centage of lime, and 

 hence the above application will generally induce an 

 immediate and decided improvemeat. 



A QUESTION FOR THE SCIENTIFIC. 



Mr. Editor: — A Mr. Cat.dwell, of Greece, N. 

 T., informed me that last fall, in digging a drain from 

 his cellar, he spread the earth taken from the bottom 

 of the drain, which was about two and a half feet in 

 depth, over the roots of five Peach trees, which were 

 in a parallel line with it. Those five trees, he says, 

 have gained in appearance this season nearly a year's 

 growth over others to which no earth had been dis- 

 tributed. It would be an interesting fact to know 

 what differences of composition existed between the 

 subsoil and surface soil, which, under equal circum- 

 stances in other respects, should cause such a marked 

 ditference in growth. * 



GATHERING AND KEEPING THE PEAR 



Nearly all pears ripen with a much finer flavor if 

 picked and matured in the house. The exceptions 

 are very few. Some which prove only second or third 

 rate when allowed to remain on the tree till they 

 soften, become rich, melting and delicious if house- 

 ripened. Gathering the fruit while yet hard, wiU in 

 nearly all cases prevent or greatly diminish the rot- 

 ting at the core, which otherwise nearly destroys the 

 value of many early sorts. 



Winter pears should hang upon the tree as late as 

 safety will allow ; and when gathered, should be kept 

 in a cool room till near their usual period of maturity, 

 when the ripening should be comijleted in a warm 

 room, at a temje.-ature of 60 to 80 deg. They 

 should be kept covered to prevent shriveling. Some 

 cultivators have wholly repudiated winter pears, 

 merely for want of skill in the management of their 

 ripening, or the want of a good cellar to keep them 

 in. Some sorts, however, as the Bexirre dAremberg, 

 require but little care; others, as the Vicar of Wink- 

 field, need particular attention. But the transfer from 

 the cool to the warm room is of great importance to 

 most, and will convert tough and hard specimens into 

 those which are juicy, melting and excellent. — 

 Thomas. 



Tansy vs. the Peach Worm. — The editor of the 

 Michigan Farmer states that a subscriber has a yard 

 full of Peach trees, one of which is in the midst of a 

 tansy bed. This tree is by far the most healthy in 

 the yard — full of fruit, and green and healthy in ap- 

 pearance, while the others are decaying or suffermg 

 from the attacks of the peach worm or grub. 



The Apple Worm. — In Downtng's Fruits and 

 Fruit Trees of America it is stated that " if an old 

 cloth is laid in the fork of a tree about the time fruit 

 begins to drop, the apple worm will make it a resting 

 place, and thousands may be caught and killed from 

 time to time." 



Saving Flower Seeds. — The lovers of flowers 

 should remember now that many fine varieties are 

 ripening their seeds, and it is the best time to secure 

 them. Put them up in neat papers, mark their names 

 legibly upon tliem, and put them away in a dry place; 

 and next spring you will be glad you have taken this 

 slight trouble. 



