Reports on Fruit Transportation. 155 



warm South and cool North, should have bulkheads across one end of any 

 car in which a fire is used, so that the fire heat can be shut away from the 

 fruit, and the messengers keep warm at the same time. Until cars reach 

 Cairo, say, no fire is needed; farther north it is colder ; the messenger must 

 keep warm if the fruit spoils; result is, car closed up tight, hot fire going, 

 fruit half spoiled between Cairo and Chicago, with weather cool enough to 

 keep any fruit good if shut away from the heat. 



Express companies should furnish the cars needed, and then should see 

 that their messengers were impressed with the idea that it was as necessary 

 for them to deliver the fruit in theii*charge in good order, as to deliver the 

 money in their safe — equally vigilant in both. They should be taught fruit 

 muHt he kept cool. But the companies must not expect a cold man will refuse 

 to build a fire when he has a stove and wood at hand. 



So we can come to this, all express cars should have the most thorough 

 system of ventilation, that can be opened and closed at will by the messen- 

 ger. Where fires are used, convenient bulkheads put in, and all fruit placed 

 where it can be kept away from the heat, when not needed to protect from 

 frost, and messengers with knowledge and a disposition to keep careful 

 watch of it. . 



You must not think, from these remarks, I have any personal feeling of 

 animosity toward the express companies. I use them to a greater extent 

 than any of you, and am a personal friend of the agents and division super- 

 intendents. So far as I know them, each and all would do all they could for 

 me, and would for you. I know where they fail, and believe it as much for 

 their interest as any of ours, that attention should be called to it in such a 

 manner that the principal agents and division superintendents throughout 

 the West may be able to convince the general officers of the companies 

 (whom we can not reach) of the reasonableness of our demands. 



I am told, and believe, that the express rates on fruits are as low as the com- 

 panies can reasonably make now. But the fruit trafle has, within a few years, 

 grown to such an extent, is now of such proportions, that express companies 

 should demand and get of the railroad companies much better figures than 

 they now have, and so be able to give lower rates themselves ; also increased 

 accommodations. I believe, if this matter of transportation is taken hold of 

 by this Society, reforms will come quickly. You all know it is not second, 

 even, to growing. It should be yowv first interest; it is the one on which all 

 your success depends. No matter how good your fruit at home (if you 

 grow it for market), unless properly transported it is a failure to you. The 

 consumption of fruit in the North and West is immense now; it would be 

 much larger if the losses entailed by careless handling in unventilated cars 

 could be avoided. I believe a very large percentage can be. 



You, as growers, must not try to make transportation companies respon- 

 sible for your own faults. Poor fruit, with the very best of transporting facil- 

 ities, will not arrive in good order; and, many times, the weather is against 

 us. Remember that ill-grown, ill-packed, over-ripe fruit of any kind, cim 



