634 BOATfD OF AGRICULTUKE. 



them until spriug I would put in at 18° or 20°. They will freeze clear 

 to the core, and remain that way until they are ready for the market. 

 I would keep them at that temperature until they are ready for the 

 market. These are conditions that are being developed very rapidly. 

 The Government of the United States, as well as the Experiment Sta- 

 tions are taking this up, and by a little energy on your part j'ou can 

 get bulletins on how to do these things. It doesn't make much difference 

 how far you ship fruit. You can ship it almost any distance you want 

 to and it will arrive in good condition. Glutted markets can be avoided 

 to a very great degree. Of course, the market will sometimes become 

 congested with the best that you can do. I believe that cold .storag-e 

 will be a greater success if you will run the temperature down instead 

 of up. I do not think that freezing an apple hurts it at all. 



Mr. Flick: Doesn't this freezing of the apples in cold storage injure 

 the keeping qualities of the apples when they are brought out? 



Mr. Williams: I want to say in the first place that I would bring 

 up the temperature gradually until I got to the temperature at which I ex- 

 pected the apples to be placed when on market. I once ordered a car load 

 of apples from Chicago and they were shipped in an open car, and when 

 they got to Indianapolis they were frozen solid clear through, and I'll 

 tell you I was a mighty blue man. We put them in the cellar, and let 

 them stay there two or three weeks and then put them on the market. 

 When they came to us they were frozen so hard that they slid all around 

 in the barrels, and did not seem to fit any place, but when we went to 

 them after they had been here two or three weeks they were as tight 

 as they were when they were first put into the barrels. 



I had another experience last year. There happened to be a great 

 many Ben Davis apples, and I packed twenty-five or thirty bushels. We 

 put them in the ground, and they were not covered veiy well, and eveo' 

 rain tha^ caine wet them through. They laid there and all 

 froze as hard as a bone It would thaw then freeze then thaw 

 and freeze. I supposed the apples would not be fit for anything. I left 

 them there until April, and when I took them out they were as crisp 

 and nice as could be. They didn't commence to rot until the latter part 

 of May. I don't believe we lost a peck of apples until that time. I think 

 we have found that cold storage will help us. I'm going to quit, but if 

 you care to ask me any questions I will be glad to answer them. 



Mr. Grossman: Do you keep the temperature as low as 18°? 



Mr. Williams: Yes. 



Mr. Swaim: Have you experimented in keeping apples any length of 

 time at that temperature? 



