59° Journal of Agriculture. [lo Sept., 1909. 



misunderstanding will be avoided and greater satisfaction and profit will 

 result to everybody concerned. 



A most important provision and one which .should be carried out to 

 the letter is this, that fruit should invariablv be packed in open ven- 

 tilated cases of uniform size. Loss of space and great difficultv in 

 handling and ventilating packages have been experienced in the handling 

 of cases of uneven size and shape. 



There is a good deal of misapprehension as to the function of co(jI 

 storage in the preservation of fruits. This condition leads to frequent 

 misunderstandings which might be avoided and the condition of fruit 

 storage improved if there were a clearer definition of the influence of 

 fruit preservation, of cultural conditions, of the commercial methods ot' 

 handling and of the methods of storage. The fruit is part of a living 

 organism in which certain processes go forward more slowlv in low tem- 

 peratures, but do not cease even in the lowest temperatures in which the 

 fruit may be safely .stored. It may decay prematurelv through rots caused 

 by fungi which lodge on the fruit before it is packed and sometimes after- 

 wards. The cool storage house is designed to arrest the ripening pro- 

 cesses in a temj>erature that will not injure the fruit in other respects, 

 and thereby prolong its life's history. It is designed also to retard the 

 de\-elopment of the diseases with w^hich the fruit is affected, but it cannot 

 prevent the slow growth of some of them. It follows that the behaviour 

 of different apples or pears in storage is largely dependent on their con- 

 dition when they enter the stores. If they are in a dissimilar condition of 

 ripeness, or have been grown or handled differentlv, or varv in other 

 respects, these differences may be expected to appear as the fruit ripens 

 slowly in the low temperatures. If the fruit when stored is alreadv o\ex- 

 ripe. the low temperatures cannot prevent its deterioration sooner than 

 would be the ca.se with fruit of the same variet\- that was in a less mature 

 condition. If the fruit has been bruised, or is covered with rot spores, 

 the low temperature may retard but cannot pre\ent its premature decay. 

 If there are inherent differences in the fruit due to the character of the 

 soil, the altitude, and to incidental features of orchard management, or 

 \ariations due to methods of picking, packing, and handling, the low 

 temperature must not be expected to obliterate them, but rather to retard 

 while not preventing their normal development. Fruits for cool storage 

 and export should i)e grown on well drained ground. 



Varieties, Keeping Qualities, and 1'emperatures. 

 Apples. 



Apples do not improve in grade in cool storage. In handling crop 

 too much care cannot be given to grading pro])erl\- before putting in 

 storage. The contents of many packages are injured by the spread of 

 diseases from a few imperfect apples. Rots enter the fruit most easily 

 M'herever the skin is bruised or broken, and in the early stages of rot 

 development it is common to see the diseases manifesting themselves around 

 worm holes or brui.ses occasioned by rough handling, from nails protruding 

 through cases, or from other causes. The attractiveness and the value of 

 the best fruit are often lessened b\ cart-U'ss hmnlling. .\ bruised .spot 

 dies and discolours. Finger marks made by pick<M-s and injuries that 

 may occur in transit of fruit all l)ecome more apparent the longer the 

 article is stored. 



An apple should lie fully grown and highb coloured v. hen picked to 

 give it the best keeping and commercial qualities. When picked in that 



