460 



TflE CAN API AN HORTIf^ULTURJST 



Grand Duke. These were beginning to 

 soften, but were in good condition when 

 sold. Of Bartlett pears the same may be 

 said as of Crawford peaches, most of them 

 were shipped too green, and those that were 

 allowed to reach good size, and yet were 

 picked firm, arrived in prime market condi- 

 tion. 



Various causes contributed to these grati- 

 fying results, and the only' accidental one 

 was the weather, which was favorably cool. 

 All other contributing causes were antici- 

 pated in our plans for the shipment. These 

 were : A selection of good fruit, careful 

 wrapping of peaches and pears, and packing 

 in suitable carriers, boxes for everything, 

 and for grapes and plums a bushel crate con- 

 taining 12 trays, each tray holding about 

 two and a half pounds ; careful loading in 

 the car, so that none of the boxes could 

 move out of its place, and spacing the boxes 

 so that air could circulate on all sides of 

 each box. 



As to cold storage facilities : Two cars 

 were selected of quite diflferent interior con- 

 struction, the one having devices for main- 

 taining air circulation, the other having none 

 of these. It is probable that with warmer 

 weather a defective system of refrigeration 

 would have been detected, but the uniformly 

 cool weather during the sihipment made 

 both cars equally effective. Upon this mat- 

 ter, therefore, the experiment is inconclu- 

 sive. It must be borne in mind that the 

 office of a refrigerator car is to counteract 

 the effect of warm weather upon perishable 

 goods. In a good refrigerator fruit will 

 keep as well in warm weather as in cold. 

 Provided our cars were good, the success of 

 our shipment did not depend upon the 

 weather. 



THE PRICES REALIZED. 



As to prices : Both cars were sold by 



auction, one on September 22, the other on 



September 23. The prices on the first day 



were: Crawford peaches, $i.lo to $1.25 



per box of 12 quarts ; plums, $1.50 per crate 

 of 20 quarts ; grapes, $1.50 to $1.80^ per 

 crate of 30 pounds net; pears, $1 to $1.25 

 per box, half bushel ; apples, 85 cents to 

 $1.25 per bushel ; tomatoes, 55 cents to 85 

 cents per 12 quart box. On the second day 

 there was rather an overload of pears, 

 which went low accordingly. Prices were: 

 Peaches, $1.10 to $1.25; plums, $1.05 per 

 crate of 13 quarts; pears, 70 cents to $1.05 

 for XXX Bartlett. Flemish Beauty and 

 XX Bartlett sold much lower. Apples, 85 

 Cents to $1.20 per bushel ; tomatoes, 55 cents 

 to 60 cents per 12 quart box. 



Average net prices, including cost of 

 package, but after deducting freight and 

 commission charges, were : Peaches, 93 

 cents per box; plums, 75 cents per 13 

 quarts; grapes, $1.14 per crate of 30 pounds 

 net ; pears, 75 cents per box ; tomatoes, 44 

 cents per 12 quart box ; apples 55 cents per 

 bushel. In replies received from the grow- 

 ers who supplied the fruit, most of them ex- 

 press satisfaction with these prices. In the 

 instance of plums and peaches prices are 

 ruling 'high in Ontario this year, and the 

 Winnipeg prices are not relatively high. It 

 is saitisfactory to know, however, that the 

 peaches, sold on their appearance simply, 

 without any reputation to help them, real- 

 ized fully as much as the best California 

 peaches on the same day. T'he auction 

 method is liable to be panicky, but is on the 

 whole, perhaps, as good a method as any for 

 disposing of perishable fruits. 



SHOULD WATCH THESE POINTS. 



While our experiment was highly suc- 

 cessful, I do not advise shippers to repeat 

 it until they are fully apprised of the im- 

 portance of attending to details, selecting 

 the fruit at the right degree of maturity, 

 packing and loading properly/keeping the 

 car iced while loading, and filling bunkers 

 before it starts, and marking way bill so as 

 to insure re-icing in transit. With one ex- 

 ception I found that the various icing sta- 



