9 6 



GARDEN FARMING 



operating their own refrigerator cars, and in some instances are 

 attempting to exclude private car lines from their roads as far 

 as practicable. 



" The following table illustrates the growth of California fresh- 

 fruit shipments under the influence of transit refrigeration : 



ANNUAL FRESH-FRUIT SHIPMENTS FROM CALIFORNIA: 1890-1900 



"Previous to 1888 large quantities of foothill fruit had been 

 shipped as far as Chicago in ventilated cars on express-train sched- 

 ules. But only the best of foothill fruit permitted of such handling, 

 and even this was forwarded at great risk. Moreover, the fruit had 

 to be disposed of quickly after reaching Chicago, and hence could 

 not be very widely distributed from that point, little of it ever reach- 

 ing New York. To-day 95 per cent of the deciduous fruits shipped 

 East from California are carried in refrigerator cars, solid trains of 

 these following each other across the continent. Fruits thus han- 

 dled remain in fairly good condition for at least ten days, and one 

 carload of peaches and prunes, held up by a strike in 1894, was 

 sold in good condition twenty-six days out from the shipping point. 

 The fruit spoiled quickly after being exposed to the air, however, 

 showing that the limit of safety had been passed. 



" Formerly, much of the early garden truck of the South was 

 sent to the Northern markets by express, but express rates are, 

 and must continue to be, entirely too high for any but a very small 

 volume of business. Moreover, truck sent by express must gen- 

 erally be loaded hastily and carelessly while the train waits, and 

 heavy losses are likely to result from this source. As showing how 

 rapidly the refrigerator cars are coming into use, and the effect of 

 their introduction upon the express business in hauling vegetable 



