THINNING, GATHERING, KEEPING, MARKETING. 139 



often twenty-eight degrees through winter. Grapes will not 

 freeze at this temperature when kept in boxes. He is careful 

 not to place so many in each as to press upon or crush the 

 lower ones. The boxes are nailed up and set one upon another, 

 so as to occupy little room. 



In conclusion, the following rules may be presented for 

 strict observance in keeping fruit : 



1. Let the temperature be kept as near the freezing point 

 as practicable. 



2. Keep the temperature as uniform as possible, as an 

 occasional warm draught hastens decay. 



3. Exclude air-currents of any kind not required to main- 

 tain a uniform degree of cold; hence drawers or covered 

 boxes are better than open shelves. 



4. Keep all odors away from the fruit, especially such odors 

 as come from badly kept cellars. 



5. See that only sound fruit is placed in storage. Unripe, 

 overripe, diseased and wormy fruit should not be expected to 

 keep well, no matter how perfect the conditions. 



6. For storage of large lots for commercial purposes, it is 

 usually better for the grower to put his fruit in the hands of 

 parties who make a business of cold storage. 



