STUDIES OF POULTRY. 27 



the temperature within a space of five hours dropped to 34 F. 

 (1 C.)- and this was maintained uniformly to the end of the haul. 



When the car arrived at its destination, and the boxes were opened, 

 the poultry had so much moisture condensed on the surface that it 

 was distinctly wet, a condition known in the industry as " sweating." 

 This condition is undesirable in that it induces the growth of mold 

 and hastens decay, unless the surfaces of the birds are promptly 

 dried. It was caused by the fact that there was a difference of 17 F, 

 (9 C.) between the temperature at which the birds left the packing- 

 house and the highest temperature reached during the haul. It 

 would have been better in this case had the birds left the chill room 

 with a temperature of 32 F. (0 C.). 



REFRIGERATION IN THE MARKET. 



In the handling of poultry the facilities of the middlemen and 

 retailers, for holding the goods in a chilled condition, are of great 

 importance. Artificial refrigeration in the packing house may give 

 excellent chilling facilities; the railroad refrigerator car may main- 

 tain the necessary low temperature throughout the haul, and yet, 

 between the arrival of the poultry at the market and its final sale to 

 the consumer inadequate refrigeration may render the previous good 

 work valueless. 



Having chilled or frozen the poultry the low temperature should be 

 constantly maintained until the product is consumed. Fluctuating 

 temperatures cause a condensation of moisture and a consequent 

 activation of bacteria and enzyms, with resulting decomposition. 

 Such being the case, cold storage warehouses and large dealers in 

 poultry have found it almost a necessity to have railroad trackage 

 at their own receiving platforms, thereby eliminating the wagon haul 

 and an extra handling of the packages. If wagons must be used to 

 transfer the goods from the car to its next destination, the load should 

 be covered with canvas or otherwise insulated as perfectly as possible. 



The most efficient method for the wholesaler to adopt for carrying 

 large quantities of dry-packed poultry between receipt and disburse- 

 ment is the use of a mechanically refrigerated chill room of the same 

 type as that of the packing house, and maintaining temperatures 

 below 40 F. (4 C.). If frozen stock is to be handled, a room main- 

 taining a temperature which is below 15 F. (9 C.) should also be 

 available. 



The recognized need and advantage of refrigeration for both large 

 and small dealers in dressed poultry has led establishments which 

 produce large quantities of a low temperature refrigerant to supply 



[Cir. 64] 



