Storage of Apples

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20281, 16 April 1934, Page 9

Storage of Apples

To-day's Recipe

\yHERE one has a big crop of apples to gather it is not possible to classify from the trees, so that all are picked together and sorted out in the shed afterhandling being done carefully.

Decay is induced by a combination of moisture, warmth and the oxygen of the atmosphere. Exclude these and the fruit will .keep sounder and longer. Therefore if we provide a low temperature, still atmosphere and darkness we get conditions under which fruit will keep for a maximum time. Packing in paper-lined cases with soft packing top and bottom is the best, so long as the cases are stored in a cool, dark room. Late fruit will keep splendidly if pitted like potatoes in plentv of clean straw, and I remember one big fruit grower at Invercargill in my young days, who used regularly to store heaps of apples outside in this way. The careful grower such as our correspondent “ Knowledge,” will go to some pains when casing to see that only the best sound fruit is put awav in the boxes. Those with codlin moth holes or bruises will do for immediate use. One other point I should mention, is, gather the fruit onlv when drv. T. D. LEN&IE.