Page 12 



BETTER FRUIT 



November. 1921 



Car Shortage Injures Apple Growers 



Bij The Editor 



DURING the current apple marketing 

 season nearly every section of the 

 Northwest has been hit at some time by a 

 serious shortage of cars necessary to handle 

 the crop. This is not a new situation, but 

 is none the less aggravating to growers 

 •and shippers, because they had been 

 through the same experience before. 



Early in October a very serious short- 

 age of refrigerator cars was experienced in 

 the Wenatchee district. Several of the 

 leading warehouses stopped receiving ap- 

 ples, while in others the crop was piled to 

 the roof. Reports classed the situation as 

 unparalelled for so early in the season, 

 as less than 1 per cent of the crop had 

 been handled up to that time. 



Shippers charged that though the Great 

 Northern railroad had been offered several 

 thousand empty refrigerator cars before the 

 beginning of the season, it had turned 

 down the offer rather than pay the per 

 diem rental to owners of the cars. The 

 shippers talked of damages running into 

 millions of dollars. 



The Wenatchee Valley Traffic associa- 

 tion promptly took up th: matter by 

 authorizing employment of a firm of at- 

 torneys of national reputation to look into 

 aspects of the American Railway associa- 

 tion car pool and frame action for dam- 

 ages. A representative was sent before the 

 interstate commerce commission and other 

 steps were taken to break the shortage and 

 minimize resultant losses. 



At the same time reports from the Pay- 

 ette valley, in Idaho, showed that there 

 were 400 cars of Jonathans and other 

 apples there ready to be shipped, with no 

 cars available. 



About the third week in October it was 

 reported from Salem that acute car short- 

 ages existed in most of the apple growing 

 districts of Oregon. Appeals were con- 



stantly reaching the public service com- 

 mission calling for any possible relief. The 

 commission sent letters immediately to the 

 various lines serving both Oregon and 

 Washington territory, calling attention to 



the complaints and urging utmost co-oper- 

 ation in meeting the shippers' needs. 



It is a little early to know what relief, 

 if any, the railroads may succeed in pro- 

 viding. Whatever they may accomplish, 

 however, it is certain that the apple grow- 

 ers of the Northwest will have suffered 

 extensive losses because of the shortage. 



RHODES DOUBLE CUT 

 , PRUNING SH 



RHODES MFG. C 



. DIVISION AVE., GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. 



yHE only 

 pruner 

 made that cuts 

 from both sides of 

 the limb and does not 

 bruise the bark. Made in 

 all styles and sizes. All 

 shears delivered free 

 to your door. 



Write for 

 circular and 

 prices. 



Ridley, Houlding & Co. 



COVENT GARDEN, LONDON 



WE ARE 



Specialists in 

 Apples and Pears 



CABLE ADDRESS: BOTANIZING, LONDON 



Codes: A. B. C. Sth Edition and Modern Economy 



WRAPPERS 



PROTECTS 



"Caro" Protects-"Caro" Prolongs the Life of Fruit-Why? 



CHEMICALLY TREATED, "Caro" from DessiCARE (to dry up) 

 FRUIT MATURITY is retarded by cold or refrigeration and hastened by heat or atmospheric exposure. 

 The soft fibrous silk-like texture of "Caro" provides just sufficient ventilation to retard the ripening process. 

 FRUIT DECOMPOSITION starts from a bruise which opens tiny holes and permits juice to escape and BACTERIA to 

 onter. "Caro" clings closely and dries up the escaping juice. "Caro" ingredients harden the spot, kill the BACTERIA, 

 arrest the decomposition. 

 United State* Distributors, AMERICAN SALES AGENCIES CO., 112 Market Street, San Francisco, CalifomU 



