452 The Principles of Fruit-growing. 
as cold as 18° below zero at two different times, and 
as low as 10° below zero several times. JI have no 
fire except an oil stove, and have not used that yet. 
I think that winter apples will keep as well at a 
temperature of 86 as 82°; yet, I have no proof of it. 
I do not like to have the apples get too cold, as we 
have twelve miles to haul to the ear; and if the 
fruit is kept too cold, it is more likely to freeze 
on its long trip to market.” 
A “new plan for the construction of a storage cel- 
lar” is given by Alwood:* 
“The winter storage of fruits and vegetables is a question 
of much importance in this state [Virginia] because of the 
wide range of temperature which prevails during that sea- 
son. Also, temporary summer storage is a subject worthy of 
eareful attention, and may be to some extent solved by careful 
application of the principle explained in this article. The com- 
mon practice for winter storage largely in vogue over this 
state, is to bury such vegetables and fruits as are required for 
winter and spring use in outdoor pits. The particular method 
followed varies with the different kinds of crop to be preserved, 
but the essential facts are the same. This system of pitting 
can hardly be considered a success so far as relates to the main 
crops stored; viz., apples and potatoes. The essentials of win- 
ter storage for apples and potatoes are a low, dry, even tem- 
perature, and to secure this without artificial cold storage is a 
problem that cannot be met by the outdoor pit methods of 
burying these staple articles. These two crops are’ necessarily 
held by growers in considerable quantity for winter and spring 
use, and the problem of storing them in wu convenient and suec- 
eessful manner is the one had in view in the discussion which 
follows. It may be well to state at the outset that we doubt 
the even partial success of the plan herein explained for all of 
*W. B. Alwood, Bull. 11, vol. iv., Va. Exp. Sta. 
