60 FIELD KOTKS ON APPLE CULTUKE. 



rectly in the barrel. Only clean barrels should be used. 

 Old flour barrels, unless carefully washed and dried, will 

 usually impart a musty flavor to the fruit before mid- 

 winter, especially if the air in the storage cellar is moist. 

 The first apples which are put in market barrels should 

 be '* faced." The facing consists in placing two or three 

 layers on the lower head with stems down — tliat is, with 

 stems pointing towards the head. Clean, bright apples 

 of ordinary size should be selected for this purpose. The 

 rest of the apples may be poured into the barrels. This 

 pouring, if properly done, will not injure the apples. 

 Eggs can be poured. Use a basket with a swinging 

 handle, one which can be lowered into the barrel and 

 turned while there, and hold the apples back with the 

 hand so that they will not pour out too rapidly. Two 

 or three times during the filling, shake the barrel gently 

 to settle the apples firmly. Face the upper head in the 

 same manner as the lower one. It is desirable not to 

 head up the barrel at once. Cover with boards to keep 

 out rain, and let the barrels stand open four or five days. 

 It is not always possible to cover the barrels, however, in 

 which case they may be headed up at once and turned 

 down on their sides. In this position they will shed 

 witer. Thus far I have spoken of packing out of doors. 

 The best results are always secured under cover. A 

 cheap shed which will not leak is sufficient. It should 

 be erected in a cool and shady place, as on the north side 

 of a building. The apples can then be carted to the shed 

 in the baskets, just as they come from the tree, in a 

 spring wagon. If baskets cannot be had in sufficient 

 quantity, the apples can be emptied from the pickers' 



