540 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



A report on some trial shipments of cold storage apples, J. A. Ruddick 

 (Canada Dept. Agr., Dairy and Cold Storage Comr. Branch Bui. 2Ji, pp. 17). — 

 Some 6 lots of apples were placed in cold storage houses in Montreal, St. Johns, 

 and London, Canada, and later shipped largely to Glasgow, Scotland. For the 

 sake of comparison one carload of apples was held in an ordinary frost proof 

 warehouse. The financial results secured with each lot are given in detail, 

 together with a number of observations on the behavior of the apples. On the 

 whole the temperature in the frost proof warehouse was from 3 to 10° too high 

 during the first (5 weeks of storage. The keeping quality of the cold storage 

 apples was noticeably better. 



Special tests were made with Northern Spys and Greenings to determine the 

 effect of early and late picking, two weeks elapsing between the two pickings. 

 The later picked apples had the better color and appearance and showed better 

 keeping qualities when taken from cold storage in the spring. The early picked 

 Greenings particularly were badly scalded when removed from cold storage, 

 while the later picked ones were almost free from that defect. 



The advantage gained by the prompt cold storing of apples after picking is 

 considered one of the most striking lessons to be drawn from the results of 

 these trials. The experience in these trials points to the possibility and prac- 

 ticability of shipping carefully packed winter apples that have been promptly 

 cold stored without repacking on removal from storage. It appears that the 

 usual season for Greenings may be extended several weeks if the apples are 

 well matured on the trees and placed in cold storage without delay after 

 picking. The evidence secured indicates that exposure to a high temperature 

 for any length of time after picking and before storage when the life processes 

 are active in the apple will cause more injury than the same exposure to a 

 similar high temperature after storage. Shipments of these cold storage apples 

 made to Glasgow in April and May did not appear to have been highly re- 

 munerative. 



The precooling plants of the Pacific Fruit Express Company (Engin. Rec, 

 G2 (1910), No. 5, pp. 125-128, figs. 9). — Descriptions are given of the plants 

 erected by this company in California for precooling perishable fruits, vege- 

 tables, and other products. 



The date gardens of the Jerid, T. H. Kearney (Nat. Geogr. Mag., 21 (1910), 

 No. 7, pp. 5^3-567, figs. 20). — A popular description of the date gardens of the 

 Jerid at the northern edge of the Sahara, where the author obtained date palms 

 for this Department's experimental work in date culture in Arizona and Cali- 

 fornia. 



Fig culture in North Carolina, F. C. Reimer (North Carolina Sta. Bui. 208, 

 pp. 187-206, figs. 13). — A popular bulletin discussing fig culture with special 

 reference to North Carolina conditions. Consideration is given to selection of 

 locality, climatic requirements, soil, propagation, planting, cultivation and 

 mulching, manures and fertilizers, irrigation, pruning and training, winter 

 protection, harvesting and marketing, uses, varieties, and the cause of prema- 

 ture dropping of figs. 



Report of the enological station of Haro for 1909, V. C. M. de ZtJNiGA 

 (Estac. Enol. Haro Mem., 1909, pp. 98, chart 1). — This report is similar in char- 

 acter to those noted in previous years (E. S. R., 20, p. 839), summarizing the 

 progress made in laboratory and field investigations, assistance rendered, etc. 



On the abortion of the flowers of Coffea arabica, A. Fauchere (Jour. Agr. 

 Trop., 10 (1910), No. 106, pp. 99, 100). — In a previous publication on the coffee 

 plantations of Tonkin (E. S. R., 21. p. 037), Cramer reached the conclusion 

 that the virescence and abortion of the flowers of Coffea araMca is a physio- 



