Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/113

89&#93; APT. least lit to be eaten in a raw state, unless with the addition of bread or biscuit : when baked, or drird in the open air, as is customary on the continent, they make an ex- cellent. substitute for raisins or plums, in puddings., pyes, andodior dishes prepared of flour. Sour apples may be much im- proved, bodi in taste and quality, by either baking, or digesting diem. in a close A'essel by steam, over a very slow fire : thus die saccharine principle is disengaged, and they . undergo a complete change. As apples are very liable to de- cay, especially in hard winters, va- rious methods of preserving them have been tried, widi different de- grees of success. One of die best expedients to preserve diem for winter use, is, to let diem remain upon the trees till there be danger of frost, i - ther diem in dry weather, and lay them hi large heaps to sweat tor a month, or six weeks. At the end . of that time, they should be care- fully examined, those which have the least appearance of decay re- moved from die others, die sound fruit wiped dry, and packed in large dry jars, and dien closely stopped, in order to exclude die access ot air. If this plan be properly follow- ed, the fruit will keep sound for a long dme : it is, however, frequent- ly impossible to procure a sufficient number of jars for diis purpose j hence, in considerable quantities, die following methods are general- ly adopted : In Ncrdi America, as well as in Germany, apples are often pre- served during die most seuere frosts, by placing them in an apart- ment immediately under the roof «f the house, but widiout a fire ; a luen cloth being thrown over them, APP [3 9 before the frost commences. This experiment, however, has not suc- ceeded in Britain. In some parts, a coarse linen cloth is spread upon the floor of an upper room, ami a layer of apples is placed on it ; this is covered with a cloth of a similar texture, on which anodier layer is spuead, and again covered: in this manner the pile may be increased to any height, with alternate strata of linen and fruit j after which a cloth, of »ufii- cient dimensions to communicate with the floor on every side, is thrown over the whole heap. This practice has been attended with success. Another method is, to put a layer of apples, and a layer of dried fern, alternately in a basket, or box (the latter is considered the best, as it admits less air), and cover diem closely. The advantage of fern, in preference to straw, is, that it does not impart a musty taste. Apples, in small quantities, may be preserved for a greater length of time by the following, than by any of the before-mentioned pro- cesses. — First, completely dry a glazed jar, then put a lew pebbles at the bottom, fill it with apples, and cover it with a piece of wood exactly fitted, and fill up the in- terstices with a little fresh mortar. The pebbles attract the moisture of die apples, while die mortar excludes die air from die jar, and secures die fruit from pres- sure. This useful fruit may likewise be occasionally preserved troiu frost, by placing one or two tubs, or pails of water, in die room where apples are stored, taking care daily to break the ice, and, if thick, to re- new the water, which, having a much stronger attraction ior cold, protects, die apples. Gatlier*
 * very juicy and palatable, are the