26 BULLETIN 587, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
storage emphasizes strongly the need of maintaining uniformly low 
temperatures, consistent with safety from freezing, throughout all 
operations of handling and transportation to the retailer and con- 
sumer. : 
Practically all northwestern-grown apples that are forwarded to 
eastern markets for storage are shipped as soon as possible after the 
fruit has been harvested and packed without being placed in cold 
storage at or near the points of production. 
The need of prompt cooling has been strongly emphasized in con- 
nection with immediate and delayed storage. It is very evident | 
that whether stored near points of production or several thousand | 
miles distant, the need of prompt and rapid cooling is exceedingly 
important. When stored near the point of production every effort 
should be made to get the fruit into the storage house promptly. 
When intended for eastern storage the apples should be shipped 
in reirigerator cars under refrigeration. They should be loaded 
into preiced cars as promptly as possible after harvesting. As the 
average cooling of a full load of tightly packed and wrapped apples 
in a refrigerator car is comparatively slow at best, the need of 
getting the fruit under refrigeration promptly is even greater than 
if they were going directly into storage. Precooling is an efficient 
means of securing prompt and rapid cooling and should be utilized 
wherever facilities are available. Promptness of cooling is essential 
to good keeping quality, whether effected through precooling or in 
the car in which the fruit is shipped while in transit. 
THE RELATION OF ORCHARD PRACTICES TO SUCCESSFUL 
STORAGE. 
While harvesting and handling methods, the promptness of stor- 
age, and storage temperatures are among the most important factors 
governing keeping quality in storage, the important relation of 
orchard practices to successful storage should not be overlooked. It 
has been noted previously that scald appears first and primarily 
on the uncolored portion of the apple. In this connection pruning 
is an important consideration. As it is desirable to procure high 
color, both from the standpoint of avoiding scald and increasing the 
market value of the fruit, it is of great importance that the pruning 
be sufficient to admit enough light to properly color the apple. 
As scab and anthracnose are often very serious in storage it is 
important that proper spraying and pruning methods be followed in 
order to control these and other fungous diseases. The general good 
health and vigor of the trees should be maintained by proper cul- 
tural and orchard sanitation practices, for sickly trees can not be 
expected to produce good storage fruit. 
