Handling the Crop 311 



not serve as a common storage and at the same time be 

 used for packing operations. Particularly is this true in 

 the early fall when the day temperatures are high. At 

 this time of the year, all doors and openings should be kept 

 tightly closed during the day. It is even suggested that 

 the doors be opened to admit fruit only in the early morn- 

 ing. It is still better to open no doors but admit the boxes 

 through a small opening > fitted -with canvas flap, as can 

 be done if conveyers are used. 



The hollow tile construction once so popular in the 

 Northwest is not entirely successful without other insul- 

 ators. In laying such tile, it is impossible to make all 

 joints perfect and for this reason the dead air space is 

 lost. Cork is the most effective insulator but it is very 

 expensive. Eight inches of mill shavings used either in 

 frame or hollow tile construction is the most economical 

 and at the same time efficient insulator for the West. The 

 hollow tile has the advantage of being fire-proof. 



Common storage has not been successful with fall var- 

 ieties such as the Jonathan, since their ripening period 

 occurs before nature's cooling temperatures are obtained. 

 Such varieties should be shipped immediately or placed 

 in cold storage. The Delicious deteriorates and the Spitz- 

 enburg tends to shrivel in common storage. On the other 

 hand, the Stayman, if stored unpacked, sometimes keeps 

 better in common than in cold storage on account of its 

 tendency to scald in the latter. A well constructed com- 

 mon storage, if properly operated, can be safely used in 

 the Pacific Northwest for holding most late varieties until 

 February and some into March. 



The following, are some of the points to be kept in 

 mind when holding or operating a common storage: (1) 



