Why did they take barrels of apples on board ships?

While reading "Treasure Island," some people wonder: why would a ship keep a barrel of apples? The story describes a situation where the main character, Jim, hid in a barrel of apples on the ship's deck. What was the purpose of taking these fruits, and what did they do with them?

A ship voyage often takes a long time. The open sea is a place devoid of civilization, with no grocery stores, cafes, or other places selling food. It sounds ridiculous, of course. But on such a long voyage, the ship needs to have a good supply of food, enough for everyone and ensuring it doesn't spoil during the voyage.

Meals on board

Eating nothing but crackers and grains is good, but not very healthy. Vitamins are essential for maintaining good health. They also help build the physical strength so essential during a sea voyage.

Studying the history of sea voyages reveals that sailors tried to maximize the variety of their daily diet while sailing the high seas. However, keeping food fresh in such conditions is not easy. Within a short time of leaving shore, food begins to rot, decompose, and maggots begin to infest grains. Therefore, sailors did everything possible to keep the food on board fit for consumption. Bread was dried and eaten as crackers, meat was salted, and fruits such as apples were dried.

Scurvy - the cause of the disease and how to prevent it

Sea travelers were often susceptible to scurvy. Its symptoms include persistent fatigue, weakness, and pain in the arms and legs. The main cause of this disease is a lack or severe deficiency of vitamin C. As the disease progresses, it can easily result in death from an infection.

The surest way to prevent the disease is to consume sufficient amounts of foods containing vitamin C. Fruits are a storehouse of this vitamin. Apples, unlike citrus fruits, are convenient because they can be easily dried and consumed that way. This preserves their beneficial vitamins, making them a nutritious and tasty food.

Perhaps the barrel of apples in Roman Stevenson's adventure novel Treasure Island was intended precisely for eating these fruits, fresh or dried.