-i-.i]iii.jjj»^jll!^ 



1864. 



THE ILLINOIS FAEMER. 



2^ 



Gathering and Keping Fruit. 



It is becoming a well understood principle that 

 pears are improved by being gathered before fully 

 ripe. Some should approach nearer maturity than 

 others. But early apples should be fully ripe, as 

 a general rule, before gathering. Late fall and 

 early winter apples should not be eatable when 

 picked, and all the late winter varieties should be 

 gathered when too hard to yield to the pressure 

 of the thumb, and always before heavy fall frosts. 

 A dry time should be selected, if possible. There 

 will be a few specimens not yet mature, but you 

 can afford to throw them out to save the best and 

 the main crop. When a good keeping variety be- 

 gins to drop freely from the tree, as is sometimes 

 the case, secure the balance of the crop that re- 

 main? on the tree as soon as possible ; but they 

 should not be mixed with those on the ground — 

 not one should be saved with those picked. Wind- 

 falls will not keep, for in addition to the injury 

 sustained from the fall, they become heated by ly- 

 ing upon the ground exposed to the sun -and the 

 hot air, and the ripening process already com- 

 menced is hastening it lo a rapid decay. 



No matter how hot the weather is, an apple is 

 always cool while upon the tree, and in that con- 

 dition should be taken care of, if we would have it 

 keep in its most perfect condition for the full de- 

 velopment of all the delicious juices with which it 

 is so abundantly supplied. How to obtain it in 

 that condition will be my purpose now to show. — 

 We have seen that it must be carefully gathered 

 before it is too ripe, as it is commonly termed ; 

 but I say before it is ripe, for when it is ripe it is 

 fit to eat, and should certainly be the case with 

 winter apples when gathered. 



We have also seen that heat hastens the ripen- 

 ing process, and that cold retards it. Apples 

 should therefore be kept cool, barely so as not to 

 freeze. A minimum temperature of thirty-four de- 

 grees is probably about right, with as little fluctu- 

 ation as possible. 



It is not foi the purpose of assuming to know 

 more than the most of you about the one best me- 

 thod of keeping apples, that I give the subject so 

 large a space in my address, but it is to give it 

 more prominence in our deliberations than it has 

 heretofore had. I regard it as one of the points 

 very much overlooked in all meetings of this kind. 



Whether we regard the ripening process as a vi- 

 tal or a chemical action, it is quite sure that it 

 should go on gradual and unchecked until all the 

 good qualities are fully developed, and when the 

 highest point of excellence is attained, then the 

 fruit should be used. It is never so good as when 

 fully ripe ; but is frequently eatable for a long 

 time. Some varieties become dry and mealy, oth- 

 ers tough and leathery. Others, by being kept 

 very cool, will remain m a very good condition for 

 a very long time, or by the use of artificial means 

 may be kept for an almo^ indefinite period. 



I hold that the ripening process once commenc- 

 ed, goes on, no matter how cold, if frost is not 

 present, slowly, perhaps, but uni»terruptedly, un- 

 til full maturity. Hence the importance of a cool 

 cellar, which should always be dry and dark. It 

 should be frequently aired, when the outside tem- 

 perature will admit of it. Some varieties are much 

 more sensitive to their treatment than others. — 

 The Winesap, for instance, which has a thick skin, 



may be abused a great deal in handling and but 

 indifferently cared for in the cellar, and yet it will 

 keep pretty well ; that is, it will rot but little ; but ;, 

 if kept close and warm, it is subject to a fungus 

 that renders it scarcely tolerable to eat. But if it 

 is kept cool and dry, all its best qualities are re- 

 tained. It is also one of the varieties that does 

 best keep on open shelves. The Belmont, on the 

 other hand, which I regard as one of the best and 

 most profitable apples, is very impatient of bad , 

 treatment. Its skin is smooth and thin, and flesh 

 of a delicate texture. If roughly handled and kept 

 in a warm room, it soon decays. If carefully han- 

 dled and kept in a cool place, it keeps with very 

 little waste till April or May. Indeed, it is with 

 me one of the best of keepers. — Trans. Ind. Hort. 

 Society. 



4«> 



Culture of Cabbage — Eleven thousand heads 

 of cabbage may be raised from an acre. This, 

 sold at five cents will bring five hundred dollars. 

 It is said by those who have raised extensively, 

 that it is one of the best crops to feed to stock — 

 young stock and cows in particu'ar. There is no 

 doubt of it, and give largely of milk. Some ob- 

 ject to its acrid taste and pungeaut flavor, as this 

 is perceptible in the milk. But the objection is 

 obviated in the case of young stock, and cows out 

 of milk. 



To raise cabbage, the richest of ground is ne- 

 cessary. We have known cabbage raised for a 

 dozen years in succession on the same spot, and 

 each crop a a good one, varying, of course, with ; 

 the season. But the soil was of the best kind, so 

 that but little manure was needed. But the soil if 

 still better, would have raised better cabbage. — 

 Planted in a hogyard, or where manure has long '■ 

 lain, gives the best of crop? — better than any we 

 have ever seen. It is almost impossible to get 

 your ground too rich for cabbage; and it wants : 

 depth as its long roots penetrate. 



Cabbage, like berries, and all water-loving 

 plants, dries the soil rapidly, and hence gives it a 

 harsh sterile appearance, unless very rich and 

 mellow. Irrigation cannot be too largely indulged 

 in with cabbage. A thorough cultivation of the 

 soil, deep tillage, will aid in this respect. 



The Varkish Tree. — As Americans, wemust be 

 as independent as possible of other nations. Eve- 

 rything that our nation can produce should be 

 grown here. Ic is bad policy to be sending our 

 coin off to other nations, to pay their laborers and 

 to build up their country at the expense of our 

 own. 



We ail know the Japan varnish. It is obtained 

 from a tree — a species of Ailanthus, but the Rhvx 

 Vernix. It would undoubtedly succeed well here. 

 The Ailanthus that is so common here, was impor- 

 ted into this coimtry by the Eider Prince, if we 

 recollect right, and thrives amazingly. The Rhus 

 Vernix is grown to a great extent in Japan and 

 China, and the varnish obtained fiom it is a source 

 of much profit to tho-'C nations. It is obtained by 

 making an incision in the trunk of the tree in pret- 

 ty much the same manner as is practised in gath- 

 ering pitch from the p!ne. The yield is said to be 

 very large, and the production of the article pro- 

 fitable. Who knows but that in a few years we 

 shall see large plantations of the Ailanthus for Tar- 

 nish ; 



