SHEAR: DISTRIBUTION OF PERISHABLE PLANT PRODUCTS 419 



en route, however, have considerable influence upon their condition 

 at destination, even when all practical field treatments and precautions 

 have been taken. 



Citrus Fruits 



In the case of citrus fruits, it has been found that where the chief 

 cause of decay is Penicillium, one of the important factors in its 

 control is to avoid, as far as possible, all injury to the fruit in picking 

 and packing, as the fungus enters only through wounds. It is also 

 necessary to ship this fruit under proper refrigeration in order to 

 insure its arrival in good condition in distant markets. While proper 

 care in picking, packing, and handling are of primary importance in 

 determining the keeping qualities of these fruits, proper refrigeration 

 and prompt delivery are also essential to prevent loss from this and 

 other organisms. 



Cranberry Rots 



Cranberries under proper conditions of cultivation and handling 

 possess excellent shipping and keeping qualities and as they are mostly 

 distributed during cool weather do not require refrigeration. Spray- 

 ing to prevent fungous diseases in the field, careful picking and hand- 

 ling with temporary storage in cool ventilated houses and packing 

 in proper packages will ordinarily insure their reaching market in 

 good condition with the usual means of transportation. Most of 

 the losses occur before shipment and much loss of fruit held for late 

 shipment is due to the natural ripening processes of the fruit, the 

 action of the respiration products and smothering. Proper venti- 

 lation would prevent the latter. 



Raspberry Rots 



Ramsey'^ reports the results of studies of shipments of raspberries 

 from the Pacific coast under various conditions. The decay was 

 attributed to Botrytis and Penicillium. He found that care in handling 

 and prompt cooling were among the most important factors in suc- 

 cessful shipment, but that maintaining a uniform low temperature in 

 transit was also essential. 



Strawberry Leak 



In the cases of strawberries which have been investigated by 

 Stevens and Wilcox,^ of the Bureau of Plant Industry, for the past 



'' Ramsey, H. J. Factors governing the successful shipment of red raspberries 

 from the Puyallup Valley. U. S. D. A. Bui. 274: 1915. 



* Stevens, N. E., and Wilcox, R. B. Rhizopus rot of strawberries in transit. 

 U. S. D. A. Bull. 531: 4-7. 1917. 



