144 MODERN FRUIT MARKETING 



the pipe coils is cooled down and then conducted through 

 a 6-foot tunnel to the outlet for each refrigerator car. 

 The air is driven by means of a rotary fan. 



The cold air is conducted into the cars by means of 

 flexible couplings, one of which is inserted in the vent 

 opening of either end of the car. At first the warm air 

 is drawn off and discharged outside and then as the 

 car is cooled down the heated air, which is drawn from 

 the fruit in the cars, is conducted back into the plant 

 where it is again cooled down by coming in contact with 

 the brine coils. Cold air is forced through the cars at 

 the rate of about 8,000 cubic feet a minute, reaching a 

 velocity of from 30 to 40 miles an hour. It is first run 

 in one direction for a little while and then reversed, so 

 that all parts of the car will be equally cooled down. 



In the systems where the boxes are cooled before load- 

 ing, the fruit is conducted through a cool room by means 

 of an, endless belt. This is so timed that, as each pack- 

 age makes one complete revolution, the fruit is cooled 

 to the desired temperature. Thus, by varying the speed 

 of the carrier, to suit the various sizes and kinds of fruit 

 only one handling is necessary. 



Moving the Fruit. In carrying food products to the 

 larger cities which constitute the main markets of the 

 United States, the bulk of the fruit must be shipped long 

 distances. In most cases it must cross two or three states 

 and often go across the entire continent. There is ap- 

 proximately half the population of the United States 

 within a radius of 500 miles of the city of New York. 

 Hence, the bulk of the fruit products must be sold 

 within that radius. The transportation problems then 

 enter largely into the business of moving fruit long 



