UNCLE SAM TO EXPORT TENDER FRUITS. 



fOR some years past certain efforts have 

 been made by the Department of Agri- 

 —jy. culture at Ottawa, to encourage the 

 export of tender fruits, with a certain degree 

 of success. These efforts seem to be just 

 now relaxed, in the hope that private enter- 

 prise will take up the work. While this is 

 so with us, the United States Department 

 of Agriculture is taking up the work where 

 we left it off, and is pushing it to a success- 

 ful issue. A recent issue of Cold Storage 

 says :— 



The plans 'of the department include the 

 experimental shipments of fruit to various 

 countries in Europe. Apples, pears, peaches, 

 grapes and plums will make up these ship- 

 ments. Heretofore a great many American 

 apples have been sent to European markets, 

 but as most of them were shipped with only 

 the ordinary facilities the fruit was not in the 

 best condition when it reached its destin- 

 ation, and only fair prices were obtained. 

 It is now proposed to build up a permanent 

 European market for American fruits, so as 

 to furnish an outlet for the tremendous sur- 

 plus of the American product which will 

 come into bearing with the next few years. 



Experiments will be made which will cover 

 every stage of the marketing of the fruit 

 from the time it is taken from the trees until 

 it is sold to the retailers. Specially selected 

 fruits will be chosen. They will be placed 

 in packages prepared for the experiment, 

 and sent to cold storage houses in this coun- 

 try. They will be looked after carefully un- 

 til they reach the shipping ports of this 

 country, where they will be placed 

 on ships equipped with cold storage 

 facilities, transported across the water in 

 these chambers, and transferred to cold 

 storage plants in Great Britain, France 

 and Germany. 



TO DEPEND ON REFRIGERATION. 



While it is true American fruits sent to 

 Europe will come in competition with the 

 native product, it is declared that there are 

 not many cold storage plants in Europe 

 where fruits can be stored. Consequently 

 the period within which the native European 

 fruit is in marketable shape is of short dura- 

 tion, and it is almost impossible to secure 

 home grown apples later than January. 

 With refrigeration plants in this country, on 

 the steamships and in Europe, it will be poss- 

 ible, it is believed by these experts, to pl^ce 

 American fruits on the European markets 

 after the home product is unsalable. 



In other words, it is contended by these ' 

 experts that, beginning with February, it 

 will be possibte to place American apples 

 and other fruits in the European markets, 

 where they will have almost a clear field for 

 several months, or until another European 

 crop is produced. 



One of the most important matters in re- 

 lation to this industry to be decided is to get 

 the fruit to the seaboard in sound condition. 

 Experiments will have to be made to deter- 

 mine the question as to whether special con- 

 ditions on shipboard are required during all 

 of the year ; for instance, whether winter 

 apples must be put in refrigerating chambers, 

 or if they can be transported by maintaining 

 a reasonably uniform temperature without 

 undergoing refrigeration. 



On the other hand it is likely the earlier 

 maturing fruits will have to be subjected to 

 the process of refrigeration on this side of 

 the water in transit and in Europe. It is of 

 the utmost importance to dealers that their 

 shipments land in good order, as most of the 

 consignments are sold on samples and if 

 these are not in prime condition many losses 

 result. 



