104 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



ledge the courtesy and generous assistance rendered by the managers of this company, 

 Messrs. T. J. Chisholm and D. J. McGillis, in aiding me in carrying out the experi- 

 ments. Although sufficient time has not elapsed since the initiation of the experiments 

 to permit the collection of information of value regarding the later fruits, yet its degree 

 of usefulness in marketing the earlier and more perishable fruits, has been, if not 

 actually defined, quite clearly indicated. The unusual amount of heat and drought in 

 the districts from which the fruit was procured, undoubtedly injured the keeping quali- 

 ties of the fruit under trial. Last year Wealthy apples grown at Ottawa kept in a cold 

 cellar until May. This year many have already decayed and the remainder are very 

 soft, under the same conditions 



PEACHES. 



Mountain Rose and Early Crawford peaches, wrapped in tissue paper, packed in 

 20-pound baskets and stored in an atmosphere of 34 degrees Fahr. on September 5th, 

 remained in good condition till October 1st ; soon after this they began to show signs 

 of discolouration. The same varieties under the same conditions, without wrappers, 

 on October 1st showed 5 to 6 per cent decayed. On October 10th 30 per cent of 

 Mountain Rose, wrapped, had decayed ; of Mountain Rose, unwrapped, fully 75 per 

 cent were rotten. At this date Early Crawfords were in a relatively better condition, 

 as follows : — Wrapped, 10 per cent decayed ; unwrapped, 15 per cent. The decayed fruit 

 did not fall away as is usually the case, but instead lost flavour and colour, while retain- 

 ing its form. The discoloration began first near the stone and worked outwards. Up 

 to October 1st the flavour was unimpaired, but after this it deteriorated rapidly. I 

 may say the fruit was well ripened before storing took place. Such fruit will not keep 

 more than a few days when taken out of cold storage. 



PLUMS. 



Lombard and Monroe plums were stored in baskets, the fruit being wrapped and 

 unwrapped as in the case of the peaches. They were stored on September 6th in a 

 temperature of 34 degrees Fahr., which was maintained uniformly throughout. 



The results gained on the whole do not differ materially from those with peaches, 

 and indicate that stone fruits as a class cannot be profitably stored for a longer period 

 than three weeks and that in the case of fruit originally well ripened, probably not so 

 long, after this period there is a rapid deterioration both in flavour and firmness. 



PEARS. 



Bartlett. — Fully ripe, wrapped, packed in baskets, stored on September 1st, began 

 to decay November 15th. The same unwrapped were badly decayed on that date. 



Bartlett. — Fully ripe, wrapped and packed in cases holding from 50 to 75 pears each, 

 were in good condition on December 1st. Flavour unimpaired. On December 10th 

 25 to 30 per cent were rotten ; on December 15th fully 50 per cent had decayed. 

 Flavour somewhat impaired. 



Flemish Beauty. — Fully matured, wrapped and packed in baskets, decayed earlier 

 than Bartlett, beginning to show signs of rotting on October 15th. The same variety 

 unwrapped began to decay on October 6th. 



Flemish Beauty. — Fully matured, wrapped and p icked in kegs were in good condi- 

 tion up to November 1st ; they decayed rapidly after this and few remained by Decem- 

 ber 10th. 



The unwrapped in kegs had entirely " wasted " by December 6th. 



Beurre Clairgeau. — Wrapped in baskets, were in good condition when last examined, 

 December 31st. The same unwrapped were also in good condition on the same day. 



Beurre d'Anjou. — Wrapped and packed in kegs and boxes, were also in good con- 

 dition on December 10th ; and the same may be said of Duchess. 



It would seem that matured Bartlett and Flemish Beauty cannot be safely kept in 

 storage after November 15th or at latest December 1st. 



