FRUIT IX COLD STORAGE. 



ledije obtained by tbese experiments. 

 Grimsby was selected because that is 

 the only place where the fruit-growers 

 would guarantee to furnish a carload 

 of such fruit per week. The informa- 

 tion gained will be equally available 

 and useful to all the fruit-growing 

 districts in Canada. 



B\ Mr. Ma(. Laren : 



Q. How many kinds of fruit do you 

 propose to ship ? X. Grapes, pears, 

 peaches and tomatoes. 



Q. Not strawberries ? \. \o, not 

 this year. After the first year no 

 doubt all kinds of trial shipments will 

 be made. The fruit-growers of tlie 

 Niagara district have agreed to pur- 

 chase the cold storage building after 

 three years, if the trial shipments are 

 a success. The Department in the 

 meantime accepts the responsibility 

 of meeting the initial cost of the 

 building, guaranteeing the shippers 

 against loss, and seeing after the 

 shipments. 



Refrigerator cars fully iced will be 

 run regularly on the main lines lead- 

 ing into the shipping ports of Mon- 

 treal, Quebec, St. John, Halifax and 

 Charlottetown. Shippers making use 

 of refrigerator cars will be charged 

 the regular " less than car load rate " 

 from shipping point to destination. 

 No extra charge will be made to them 

 for the cold storage service or for 

 the icing. 



The railway companies ha\ e agieed 

 to provide refrigerator cars properly 

 insulated for the protection ol the 

 perishable freight they are inlended 

 to carry. In some instances in past 

 years the refrigerator cars lia\c been 

 ."luch in name only. The insulation 

 has not been thorough ; the dimis 



26( 



have not been quite close ; cars have 

 not been properly cleaned ; and the 

 pipe through which the water drained 

 from the melted ice opened direct into 

 and out of the car without any trap. 

 That permitted the cold air to flow 

 out, and the cooling influence of the 

 ice was left along 200 miles or less of 

 railway track without benefiting the 

 contents of the car. Drawings have 

 been prepared to show how an 

 ordinary box car can be insulated to 

 give satisfactory service for the car- 

 riage of butter and other perishable 

 products on short runs. 



It is recommended that the re- 

 frigerator cars for the special service 

 arranged for by the Department of 

 .\griculture be painted white, (1) for 

 the sake of increased coolness, as cars 

 painted white radiate the heat of 

 direct sunshine much more than those 

 painted any other color ; and (2) for 

 the purpose of making them distinc- 

 ti\e and calling the attention of 

 shippers, farmers and others who 

 may observe them as they pass along 

 the line with the conspicuous inscrip- 

 tion " Government Cold Storage 

 Line." 



Cold Storage Inspecpors. 



The Department has engaged a 

 cold storage inspector. His main 

 duty is to see that the cold storage 

 buildings and cars are in good condi- 

 tion and giving satisfaction to those 

 who use them. W'e \\ ill lia\e another 

 inspector stationed in .Montreal to 

 look after through shipinenls ; ani.1 

 in the case <^^ a tliioui^h shipment 

 missing tlie steamer, as may happen 

 through unavoidable delay '.'^n the 

 road, he will see that the goods are 

 stored in a proper cold storage build- 

 \\\il till the next steamer with cokl 



