THE ORCHARD.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1201, 8 March 1895, Page 8

THE ORCHARD.

THE STORAGE OF APPLES.

The question how best to store late apples will in the course of the next month or six weeks, according to the climate of the district, be presented to many whose experience has not -yet been sufficiently extensive to have led to the adoption of any particular plan. Before storing commences, several matters of crucial importance require attention. If the work of gathering be not well and truly done —if any bruises are made, or if even moderately hard contact occurs between the fruits, elements of decay will be established, and these will result in the rotting first of the fruits immediately concerned, and eventually of the fruits around them. Apples containing the larvae of codlin moth constitute another element of danger. When the insect has rotted the core and part of the fruit, decay soon commences in fruits in contact. Thus the first and a most essential matter is to exercise care in gathering, to avoid anything like a fall in placing the apple in the case or basket, and to make sure that no apple infested with the worm is added to the bulk. Late apples should be fairly advanced towards ripeness, but excepting in warm and early districts the latest will not

ripen, even up to the end of April in cold late districts. Climate greatly influences quality. A medium climate is most favourable for apples. The climate of Harcourt, on Mount Alexander, is perhaps one of the most favourable for the culture of this particular fruit. At all events apples from that quarter have arrived in excellent order in London, and as the growers purpose trying the market again we shall be justified in assuming that the growers think they perceive satisfactory prospects. The question how are apples stored in that favoured ' district thus becomes a point of special ; interest. And here occurs a wide divergence from plans theoretically regarded as the best. The apples are laid partly on the floor of the storehouse and partly on shelves, of width and depth about the same as the bulk on the floor. These layers are about three feet wide by two feet or rather less in depth. There is a path down the centre of the building but in some instances there is an uppi r floor on the same plan as the lower. In other establishments part of the stock is kept in cases, open at what serves as the top, one of the narrow sides, until they are started on their final trip. The movements of the stock are as few as circumstances will permit. Seasons vary greatly and keeping varies also. But in dealing with large bulks of apples the principle is observed of disturbing thqffV as rarely and gently as possible. The practice recommended b3 T some of turning them over every second week has, at any rate, no acknowledged followers ; it ip one that is more honoured in the breach than in the observance.— Australasio.n.