636 General Notices. 



force exercised on it by the sun, and independently of temperature. The 

 greatest amount of perspiration takes place beneath the direct rays of the sun, 

 and the smallest in those places to which daylight reaches with most diffi- 

 culty. Now, the surface of a fruit perspires like that of a leaf, although not to 

 the same amount. When a leaf perspires while growing on a tree, it is im- 

 mediately supplied with more water from the stem, and thus is enabled to bear 

 the loss produced by light striking on its surface ; but when a leaf is plucked 

 it withers, because there is no longer a source of supply for it. So it is with 

 a fruit : while growing on the tree, it is perpetually supplied by the stem with 

 water enough to replace that which is all day long flying off from its surface ; 

 but, as soon as it is gathered, that source of supply is removed, and then, if 

 the light strikes it ever so feebly, it loses weight, without being able to replace 

 its loss. It is thus that fruit becomes shriveled and withered prematurely. 

 Light should therefore have no access to a good fruit-room. 



Temperature should be low and uniform. If it is high, that is to say, much 

 above 40°, the juices of the fruit will have a tendency to decompose, and thus 

 decay will be accelerated ; if, on the contrary, it is below 32°, decom|)osition 

 of another kind is produced, in consequence of the chemical action of freezing. 

 In any case, fluctuations of temperature are productive of decay. A steady 

 temperature of 35° to 40°, with a dry atmosphere, will be found the best for 

 most kinds of fruit. Some pears of the late kinds are, however, better for 

 being kept in a temperature as high as 60°, for this ripens them, deprives 

 them of their grittiness, and improves their quality very essentially. We do 

 not, however, conceive that the general construction of the fruit-room ought 

 to be altered on their account ; we would rather make some special arrange- 

 ment for such cases. (Gard. Chron., vol. i. p. 611.) 



The air should be kept moderately dry, but ventilation should not be used 

 except for the purpose of removing offensive smells, arising from the putre- 

 faction of the fruit. Ventilation by continual currents of air carries oft" from 

 fruit the moisture which it contains, and thus acts in the same way as light, 

 in producing shriveling, and destroying that plump appearance which .gives 

 its beauty to fruit. Another reason against ventilation is, that an equable 

 temperature is scarcely to be maintained when the air is constantly changed. 

 The sweating of fruit throws so much moisture into the air, that ventilation 

 is necessary to remove it ; but the sweating ought always to be carried on in 

 a place provided on purpose. 



Great care should be taken in gathering, handling, and storing the fruit, 

 placing each kind by itself, and keeping wall-fruit apart from standard fruit. 

 Gather in baskets, and place the fruit on the shelves side by side with their eyes 

 downwards. When gathering and stowing are completed, shut the room as 

 close as possible, and only open it when fruit is wanted. (Ibid., p. 61.) 



Construction of a Friiit-roovi. — To construct a fruit-room agreeably to the 

 foregoing principles, the following directions are given. The situation should be 

 near the gardener's house, and the size sufficient to contain the whole of the 

 winter fruit spread out on shelves, in layers of one fruit in thickness. The walls 

 should be rendered frost-proof, by building them hollow, or covering them ex- 

 ternally with a casing of thatch or soil. Windows are not necessary, but, as they 

 are convenient, they should be small, with double sashes and inside shutters, 

 which may be wadded, the more eflfectually to retain the heat. The ceiling should 

 be rendered frost-proof by a roof of thatch, by pugging with hay, or by having 

 a chamber over it. In this chamber summer fruit can be placed, and winter 

 fruit may be sweated, and throughout the year the dessert prepared ; though 

 for this a small room on the ground floor would be found more convenient. 

 The communication from the chamber to the fruit-room might be by a trap- 

 door ; and ventilation can be produced, when required, by opening the outer 

 door of the fruit-room, the trap in its ceiling, and the windows of the cham- 

 ber, when the air is not below 36°. In fruit-rooms unprovided with an upper 

 chamber, there must be a few wooden chimneys carried through the roof from 

 the ceiling, where they are to be closed by a Hap ; and upon opening the latter. 



