'2 



BULLETIN 274, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



for red raspberries, and oftentimes considerable deterioration and 

 decay occurred at this or lesser distances. 



The markets for fresh berries could not profitably be extended 

 without better keeping or carding qualities. Many of the leading 

 growers have felt that possibly changes in the methods of handling 

 and refrigeration would materially improve the carrying quality. 

 In response to urgent requests from the industry, investigations of 

 the relation of methods of handling and refrigeration to decay and 

 deterioration of Puyallup Valley red raspberries in transit to distant 

 markets were included in the fruit-handling and storage investiga- 

 tions of the Bureau of Plant Industry. The experimental work was 

 carried on during the shipping seasons of 1911 and 1912, and to a 



Fig. 1. — A red-raspberry yard at Puyallup, Wash. 



limited extent during the season of 1913. Red raspberries were 

 used in the experimental work almost exclusively, although occa- 

 sional lots, of loganberries and strawberries were included during 

 the season of 1911. 



THE BERRY INDUSTRY OF THE PUYALLUP VALLEY. 



The methods of handling red raspberries are so closely associated 

 with those of growing and of training that it seems desirable to give 

 a brief description of the berry industry as developed in the Puyallup 

 Valley, Wash. 



The berry industry in this valley is centralized largely around 

 Puyallup and Sumner, in Pierce County, in the Puget Sound country 



