8 
in good condition, even after a considerably longer transit than 
now commonly occurs, seems thus to be placed beyond doubt. 
Fruit thus conserved has the additional advantage that, upon 
arrival at destination, it will not under the influence of moist air 
become covered with condensed moisture, as inevitably happens 
when it has during transportation been maintained at a low tem- 
perature by refrigeration with ice. That such bedewing of the 
fruit is highly injurious to its keeping qualities is well known. 
The Perkins process apparently obviates this difficulty, and leaves 
the fruit to arrive and remain perfectly dry. It is but reasonable 
to suppose that its life will be materially lengthened while in the 
hands of the dealer and consumer—an advantage which it is 
difficult to over-estimate, especially if as it is claimed fruit to be 
thus treated may be more fully matured at the time of ship- 
ment. 
“ As regards the second point, viz., the maintenance of the air 
current at the uniform temperature of say 55° to 60° without the 
aid of the ice, even in the hot desert air, there is no question but 
what it can be accomplished by the means claimed, viz., the com- 
pression of air by means of a pump. Then, after giving it time 
to cool down to the outside temperature—say 120° at most— 
allowing it to expand under proper conditions, reducing its tem- 
perature, and therefore that of the air current, to 55° or less. The 
preposition is theoretically sound, and it seems possible to make it 
practically feasible, with perhaps only a slight addition to the 
weight of an ordinary car, in the way of reservoirs and minor 
appliances, the exact arrangement size and form of which must 
be determined by experience. As regards maintenance of the 
same temperature in winter, there is no difficulty about making 
‘the same appliances answer the purpose of heating by the 
addition of a steam coil or otherwise. 
“We are therefore of the opinion that this invention deserves. 
the most earnest consideration on the part of the fruit-growers, 
transportation companies, and all interested in the fruit industry, 
since it appears to offer a simple (and as compared with the 
refrigerating process) inexpensive solution of the problem, both of 
cheaper transportation and of better conservation of fresh fruit for 
the eastern and perhaps the European markets. 
“KE. W. Hitearp, 
“University of California. 
“Emory E. Smira, 
“ Stanford University.” 
Subsequently, at the annual meeting of the State Fruit-growers’ 
Convention, Professor Hilgard spoke in most commendatory terms 
of the Perkins process. He stated that any one present at the 
opening of a refrigerator car in the east, when it arrived from 
California, would see, when the weather was at all damp, that the 
fruit became covered with a dew of water in the course of a few 
