The Canadian Horticulturist. 237 



COLD STORAGE. 



OLD storage is quite an important provision for some of 



our fruits The Bartlett pear, for example, ripens so 



rapidly that it must be handled quickly and with extreme 



care, or great loss will result. Even cherries and berries 



could be handled to better advantage if kept in a temper- 



1/ ture of say 40 until shipping time. The ehief obstacle is 



the expense of the erection of such a house with all proper appliances for the 

 regulation of the temperature. Very few of our growers have a sufficiently large 

 business to warrant their undertaking such an expense, but it is possible that a 

 plan of co-operation could be devised by which several growers could combine 

 and build a cold storage house large enough for the needs of all. Or another 

 plan might be adopted by which some one with capital would build a good sized 

 store house, and rent space to others at a reasonable price per month. This 

 latter plan might prove a good investment, for the direct advantage to the 

 shipper would be so great that he would not hesitate to engage space needed 

 for his choicest fruit. 



Mr. A. H. Benson, of New South Wales, says he has been quite successful 

 in cold storage. The system adopted afforded a nearly even temperature, with 

 a constant influx of cold air. The ventilation was so perfect that there was 

 never any strong odor of fruit or any condensation of moisture on the fruit or 

 cases. The average temperature of the room for the whole period was 41.70 

 degrees. Only twice did the thermometer register less than 38 degrees and only 

 nine times above 45 degrees. 



Apples kept without any appreciable loss for over four months, and after 

 being taken out of cold storage they remained sound for ten days. Among 

 other varieties of pears which were easily kept was the Winter Nelis, which kept 

 for over two months in perfect condition^ and when removed from cold storage, 

 ripened and developed its full flavor. All the solid flesh varieties of plums kept 

 well for two months, even when not wrapped. Most of the varieties of peaches 

 kept only about two weeks without deterioration, though wrapped and packed 

 in ventilated cases. It is stated that apples keep equally well if the temperature 

 exceeds the average temperature of this experiment by as much as 10 degrees, 

 but that all the other fruits require the low temperature. Before removing fruit 

 from cold storage the temperature of the cold chamber should be raised to that 

 of the outside air. 



The Number of Bearing: Fruit Trees in the Province is set down 



as follows in bulletin 92 of the Ontario Agricultural College (in round numbers) 

 — 7,000,000 ; pear trees, 521,000 ; plum trees, 700,000 ; peach trees, 521,000 ; 

 cherry trees, 518,000; grape-vines, 2,223,000. 



