6i4 Journal of Agriculture. [8 Oct., 1907. 



lower the temperature at which they should be stored. For instance fruits 

 [licked at 80 degrees or 90 degrees, or higher temperatures, should be 

 cooled as quickly as possible, after picking, to the necessary 2)2 or 35 

 degrees. The time required to chill fruits is influenced by the temperature 

 of the fruits when stored, by the quantity of packages placed in storage, 

 bv the size of the packages and density of the outer coverings, and by 

 the amount of air accessible to the fruit. From 40 to 60 hours are 

 required to chill an ordinary single one-bushel case of wrapped apples 

 right through to a temperature of 32 degrees when the fruit has been; 

 picked at temperatures of 80 or 90 degrees. It is preferable, therefore, 

 to pick fruit in the early morning than in the heat of the day. Apples, 

 packed in l)arrels require a longer time to chill than those packed in cases. 

 This fact has caused the use of cases in the United States to become 

 more general. Pears, of course, should be made up in smaller packages 

 than apples. Cases should be well ventilated in order to allow tree access 

 of the cool air of the storage chamber to the fruit. Fruit should be stored 

 apart from any other product. 



Wrapping the fruit retards it from chilling rapidlv, but it poissesses 

 so many compensating advantages in the matters of preventing bruising^ 

 and checking the spread of decav from one fruit tO' another, that this- 

 disadvantage is more than counterbalanced. In fact, American experts 

 advocate the use of double wrappers, the inner one of ordinary wrapping^ 

 paper and the outer one of paraffin paper. 



These methods of maintaining temperatures durinc: storage ami transit 

 and many others affecting the harvesting, transporting and marketing 

 of fruits are still being closelv studied in the United States. Some of 

 the companies and associations dealing w'ith the matter from the commercial 

 side are huge concerns with large assets. Cold storage accommodation 

 has been erected all over the country, both in orchards and at railwav 

 sidings, as well as in the large commercial centres. The various ^ailwav 

 companies have fallen into line and have made exhaustive trials >vith 

 various kinds of refrigerating cars. The more successful of these are 

 fitted with appliances whereb\' cold air mav be forced through the car 

 from the cool stores at the railway sidings bv means of connecting tubes. 

 This insures the top tiers of fruit in the cars being cooled as rapidlv and 

 effectively as the lowest tiers. A mixture of salt and ice is used tO' 

 maintain the lowest temperatures possible during the time occupied in 

 transit by rail. 



Trouble and Expense Justified bv Results. 



All the trouble care and attention given to these and other items has- 

 of necessity entailed the outlay of much money. The question naturally 

 arises, has this expenditure been justified? In 1899-1900 only i per 

 cent, of the total crop raised in the United States was exported. In 

 1903-4 this had risen to 4.75 per cent. The figures for 1905-6 are not 

 yet available but a further increase was anticipated. This has resulted 

 in easing the pressure in the local markets and has given the producer a 

 chance to dispose of his surplus stock. Better prices have resulted and 

 a large influx of foreign capital has been caused. It has also given a 

 great impetus to the export of other fruits than apples, notably in fruits 

 of the citrus family. In 1876 California sent away its first car-load 

 of 300 boxes of citrus fruits. In 1905 10,000,000 boxes valued at 

 27.000.000 dollars (^5,625,000) wert SL^nt all over the United States, 



