28 BULLETIN 601;, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Experimental heads of lettuce were cut just above the two or three 

 lower leaves, and all diseased leaves were removed. This carefully 

 cut lettuce developed far less decay in transit than the commercially 

 cut lettuce. 



Lettuce in cars that were precooled at the shipping point to a 

 temperature of about 40° F. developed considerably less decay in 

 transit than that shipped in nonprecooled cars. 



The combination of careful cutting and precooling enabled the 

 lettuce to reach its destination in almost perfect condition and to hold 

 up much better on the market than lettuce handled in the usual 

 manner. 



Celery often is injured in transit because it is loaded too high in the 

 cars to permit proper air circulation and rapid cooling. Smaller 

 crates or a smaller number of crates in the load would help to insure 

 more rapid cooling. 



Temperature records taken in transit in a precooled, initially iced, 

 and in a nonprecooled, fully iced celery car, showed that the non- 

 precooled took about four daysito reach as low an average temperature 

 as the precooled car maintained from the start. 



During the entire trip from Florida to destination the temperature 

 was never more than 5 or 6 degrees higher in the top tier than in the 

 bottom tier of the precooled car, whereas in the nonprecooled car 

 the difference amounted to 18 degrees for a considerable period. 



The cost of precooling and initial icing of a car of celery was less 

 than the usual charge for full refrigeration. In warm weather one 

 icing in transit may be required, but probably this would not increase 

 the cost above the usual full refrigeration charges. 



Precooled celery arrived on the market in a uniformly fresh con- 

 dition, with the leaves on the top tier nearly as green as those on the 

 bottom. Nonprecooled celery showed very yellow leaves in the top 

 tier. Such crates discount the value of the entire load. 



During the latter part of the Florida celery-shipping season it 

 appears that celery could be disposed of sometimes to better advan- 

 tage if held in storage for a short period. 



Precooled celery was stored successfully for four weeks with little 

 decay, but stored nonprecooled celery developed considerable decay 

 during the same period. 



Celery from the lower part of a nonprecooled car can be stored for 

 a short period, but during warm weather that on the top tier should 

 be disposed of as soon as it reaches the marked 



