64 FIELD NOTES ON APPLE CULTURE. 
a time, in the boxes. The 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 are 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 the top, and the apples 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 $1 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-eight 
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, Iam 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- 
