GATHERING AND PROFITABLE UTILISATION OF APPLES AND PEARS. 205 



fruit have to be dealt with, apples will keep well if laid on the floor 

 about 12 or even 18 inches deep, and covered up from the light 

 (I had over fifty tons in January last stored in this way), or they 

 can be packed in barrels which are best laid on their sides after 

 being filled ; but whatever form of store you have keep it at a 

 low temperature and as close and free from draughts as possible, 

 giving ventilation only early in the season when the fruit is first 

 stored. Be sure that the store is frost-proof ; but if by any means 

 the frost does enter do not disturb the frozen fruit until it has 

 thoroughly thawed ; let it thaw untouched and in the dark, and 

 your loss may not be so much as you would expect. I have 

 known apples in a plentiful year kept well in the open air in 

 heaps, covered up with straw and earth, much the same as 

 potatos, and come out fresh and plump in the spring (I do not 

 say the flavour would be first-class). These latter modes are, of 

 course, for dealing with large quantities of ordinary fruit. A 

 very ingenious and useful system of storing fruit has been 

 patented and introduced by Mr. Orr, of Bedford. This consists 

 of a series of trays into which the fruit can be placed direct 

 from the tree ; and these being formed so that they can be placed 

 one upon another, a large quantity can be placed in a small 

 space. With a few slight improvements, and if the question of 

 cost can be satisfactorily got over, I have no doubt it will be 

 largely adopted. 



In storing take care that none but carefully hand-picked and 

 sound fruit is stored, or great loss will most likely be incurred. 

 The less an apple is handled after being picked the better will it 

 keep, and I find no necessity for following the old-fashioned 

 method of frequently wiping the fruit to remove the moisture. 



Pears do not require quite the same treatment as apples in 

 storing. To bring out their best flavour they require a rather 

 higher and dryer atmosphere. 



I now come to the most important step of all in connection 

 with commercial fruit-growing, that is the marketing and profit- 

 able utilisation of your fruit ; here you have to study the different 

 markets. In certain markets certain classes and sorts of fruit 

 sell best ; in one market high -class dessert fruit sells best, in 

 another large cooking apples, in another quality is not so much 

 consideration as high colour. It is no use sending common fruit 

 to Covent Garden Market, but there are markets which will take 



K 



