G-4 FIELD NOTES OX APPLE CULTURE. 



a time, in the boxes. Tlie boxes are hauled in spring- 

 wagons to the cellar, and placed one above the other up 

 to the top, leaving a narrow passage down the center, so 

 as to enable me with a lantern to examine their condition 

 at any time. 



'"The advantages of the slat-boxes arc many; the 

 principal ones are thorough ventilation, economy in 

 space, and ease of handling ; and when ready for market, 

 I nail a few slats on tlie top, and the api)les are ready 

 to ship. The boxes are much cheaper than barrels, and 

 if the apples are highly colored, they sell much better 

 than in barrels. 



" The cellar being completed and filled, I watched the 

 experiment with a great deal of interest. I gathered the 

 apples from October 20th to November 10th, according 

 to the variety, and about December 15th I overhauled 

 them, and less than one per cent, were unfit for market. 

 On February 1st I overhauled again, preparatory to 

 placing on the market. I found about two per cent, 

 unfit to ship, and this two per cent, was sold for more 

 than enough to pay the expense of overhauling. The 

 apples paid from II to $2.50 per box, according to vari- 

 ety, size, and color. 



"The temperature of the cellar varied but slightly. 

 During the winter of 1882-3 the lowest was thirty-eiglit 

 degrees, and the highest was forty-seven degrees ; and 

 the past winter, which we all know was extremely severe, 

 the lowest was thirty-six degrees. * * * * Now, 

 after the second winter's test, I am glad to say that the 

 cellar has sustained its well-deserved reputation, for, up 

 to June 1st I had seven varieties in a good state of preser- 



