BULLETIN 139. FEBRUARY, 1905. 



Ontario Agricultural College and Experimental Farm. 



AN EXPERIMENTAL SHIPMENT OF FRUIT TO WINNIPEG. 

 By J. B. Reynolds, Professor of Physics. 



SUMMARY. 



1. The Western market demands well-colored and well-matured fruit. 



2. Both in appearance and in prices, Ontario peaches, if allowed to ma- 

 ture properly on the tree, compare favorably with California peaches 

 on the Winnipeg market. 



3- California and British Columbia, although at a much greater distance 

 than Ontario, are fast getting a monopoly of the Western market. 



4- Owing to tariff and higher freight charges, California peaches, in 



competition with Ontario peaches, suffer a handicap of 40 cents a 

 box. 



5. In carload lots, freight rates to Winnipeg, including icing, are little 

 more than one-third express rates- Quickly-ripening fruit is safer in a 

 good refrigerator car for six or eight days than in a hot unventilated 

 express car for three days- 



6. Transportation ought to be no hindrance to a large expansion of 

 trade in tender fruits between Ontario and the Northwest. Peaches, 

 plums, grapes, and Bartlett pears, well matured, carried safely with 

 eight days' transit. A transit of five days over the same route is 

 frequently accomplished, and is quite practicable. 



!• Our fruit is at a disadvantage in the market because of the general 

 lack of uniformity, neatness, and skill displayed in grading and 

 packing. 



8. A uniform size and style of package is very desirable. So far as pos- 

 sible, all box packages should be of the same length and width, and 

 should vary in depth to suit the character of the fruit. 



9- So far as rapid cooling and safe shipping in cold storage are con- 

 cerned, the barrel is suited to winter apples, the" bushel box, 10x11x20 

 inches, to early fall apples and winter pears, and the half bushel 

 5x11x20 inches, to peaches and early pears. 



10. The basket carries grapes and plums satisfactorily, but, for safety, 

 it should be enclosed, as in the Georgia 5-basket carrier, Fig- 4, or 

 the 2-basket carrier, Fig. 8. 



11. To remedy existing defects in all departments of the fruit *trade» 

 and to put it on a secure footing, the co-operative plan should be 

 adopted, including a central packing house, the employment of expert 

 packers, and an organization capable of overcoming obstacles- 



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