122 



PRESERVING FRUIT. 



they are ready ; but if they quit the tree sponta- 

 neously as soon as ripe, the whole should be gathered 

 together a day or two previous, and laid singly on 

 thin layers of clean straw, dry fern, or moss, on the 

 shelves of the fruit room. Early kitchen apples may 

 be laid in small heaps, and lightly covered to exclude 

 the air, in which state they will keep longer than if 

 lying exposed. 



The shelves for fruit should be made of some 

 scentless wood : white poplar, beech, or w^ainscot 

 oak is best. Deal is apt to impart a resinous scent. 

 A fruit room should be a cool place, and capable of 

 being kept free from the changes of weather ; an 

 equal temperature is of the last importance for the 

 keeping of fruit ; and for which purpose the windows 

 should be fitted up with well-made shutters. 



Before the winter fruit are laid on the shelves, 

 each sort should be carefully gathered when dry, and 

 laid in separate heaps on the floor of the room, and 

 closely covered up for eight or ten days, not longer. 

 After this time they should be each wiped with a 

 clean cloth, laid on the shelves upon straw singly, 

 and covered with a thin layer of the same. 



All fruit intended for keeping, should be gathered 

 just before^ rather than after they are ripe ; this does 

 not prevent their perfect ripening, and prolongs the 

 period of their keeping. 



There are several other modes of keeping fruit 

 which may be mentioned : viz. first, in jars, or in any 

 other air-tight vessel, embedded in sand. For this 

 manner of packing fruity the finest sand should be 



