SUMMER APPLES IN COLD STORAGE 



G. B. ROTHWELL, B. S. A., OTTAWA, ONT. 



DURING the summers of 1903 and 

 1904 I conducted several experi- 

 ments with summer apples in a refrigera- 

 tion building of the Hanrahan type. Two 

 main objects were kept in view : first, to il- 

 lustrate the advantages of an efficient type 

 of ice refrigerator to the farmer ; second, in 

 accomplishing the above end, to show the 

 value of storing non-keeping varieties of 

 summer apples. In the working out of the 

 latter, owing to a number of experiments 

 being suggested by the dififering conditions 

 encountered, the work resolved itself into 

 the handling and methods of storing apples. 

 The apple used, in the majority of the 

 experiments, was the Duchess of Ol- 

 denburg. This apple is largely grown 

 in eastern Ontario and in the east- 

 ern provinces, and is a typical mid- 

 summer apple. The fruit is medium to 

 large in size, of a light yellow color striped 

 with bright red, and has, when mature, a 

 very agreeable semi-acid flavor. It is, at 

 best, a poor keeper, retaining its flavor and 

 texture only a short time after maturing, if 

 kept under ordinary temperatures. For 

 this reason and because of its popularity on 

 local markets, especially in more northerly 

 districts, it was chosen as a basis for experi- 

 mentation. 



METHODS OF PACKING. 



Four methods of packing were adopted : 

 (i) Stored in ordinary bushel boxes; (2) 

 ditto, each specimen being wrapped in a 

 quarter-section of unprinted newspaper ; 

 (3) wrapped in tissue paper and again in 

 waxed paper similar to that used in wrap- 

 ping butter; (4) packed in small kegs of 

 sawdust. Sixteen bushels were stored, 

 four separate pickings and four separate 

 packing methods. 



Pickings were made on August 4. 15. 25. 

 and September i. The apples picked on 

 August 4 were immature in every way. be- 

 ing only slightly colored and acid in flavor. 

 Those picked on August 15 were also im- 



mature but were fairly well colored. Those 

 picked on August 25 were almost ripe, lack- 

 ing only the yellow tinge to being fully col- 

 ored and being only very slightly acid in 

 flavor. Those picked on September i 

 might be said to be dead ripe. 



The two first lots, immature when picked, 

 retained their immaturity throughout. On 

 November 15 several were spotted on the 

 green or uncolored side, the spot somewhat 

 resembling a sun-scald. They still re- 

 tained their acid flavor, but shortly after 

 lost even this and became flat and tasteless. 

 The lot picked on August 25 were, on De- 

 cember 15, perfect in texture and flavor, al- 

 though they had at this date evidently 

 reached their limit of keeping. Shortly 

 after a distinct falling off in flavor was 

 noticed. Those picked on September i, 



Ready For Pressing — No. 1. 



A handy device used on Coldstream Ranch, Vernon, British 

 Columbia, for the packing of fiuit, is here shown. The box of fruit 

 that can be seen is ready to be pressed so that the ends of the cover 

 may be firmly nailed, Before applying pressure by means of the 

 bar of wood over the box the small wooden frame work, leaning 

 against the box, is placed on top. 1 he pressure is applied on this 

 framework to prevent injury to the truit. As this framework is not 

 as long as the box there is plenty of room at the ends for nailing. 



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