TRANSPORTATION" 139 



parcel post become of sufficient importance to be of great 

 value in distributing farm produce. For the past 15 

 years efforts have been made to produce a workable 

 parcel post system, and have been defeated in almost 

 every case up to 1912 when a bill was passed by Con- 

 gress inaugurating its use on a limited scale. It has 



Fig. 103. APPLES BY PARCEL POST 



since been extended, until at the present time it is pos- 

 sible to ship in quantities as large as 50 pounds in the 

 first and second zones through the medium of the parcel 

 post. 



Pre-cooling of Fruit. All of the more perishable 

 fruits that are usually shipped in refrigerator cars must 

 be kept cool by the use of ice while in transit. Espe- 

 cially is this true of the fruits shipped from the South- 

 ern or "Western states to the Eastern markets. On the 



