PROCEEDINGS OF THIRTY-SIXTH FRUIT-GROWERS ' CONVENTION. 175 



PRESIDENT JEFFREY. We will now have the "Precooling of 

 Fruit," by George D. Kellogg of Newcastle. 



MR. KELLOGG. Mr. Chairman, first I want to say a word. I have 

 taken a great deal of interest in something more than the fruit industry, 

 and that is the character of this convention. We have met in this 

 beautiful place that many of us hold sacred and I have yet to see the 

 first breach of good behavior in recognition of the place in which we 

 have met. I believe the fruit growers are a pretty good class of people 

 to be with, clean, intelligent, upright. Mr. Dargitz insisted upon a 

 text, and the only one I can think of just now, and I can't tell you 

 just where it is. but if he will look in Ezekiel somewhere he may find 

 it: ''For because ye are neither cold nor hot I will spew ye out of 

 my mouth." 



MR. DARGITZ. Revelation. 



MR. KELLOGG. I guess it is. [Laughter.] I am not here to 

 throw any hot air, but I am to throw pure cold air. I don 't come 

 before you with any scientific proposition. I am simply going to deal 

 with facts as I have found them from my own observation. I let the 

 theory go to these professors who study it and know why these things 

 are so. 



PRECOOLING OF FRUIT WITH DRY COLD AIR FOR SHIPMENT. 



By Geo. D. Kellogg of Newcastle, California. 



Mr. President, J. W. Jeffrey, Ladies and Gentlemen: Reform and 

 progress have become the watchword of the California fruit men. It 

 is a well known fact that a slight bruise or abrasion on any fruit will 

 affect the keeping quality of the same; this has been discovered, and 

 padded picking baskets or buckets will be installed during the coming 

 season ; spriugless wheel sleds will be discountenanced and discontinued 

 by the up-to-date grower and vehicles with springs will be used in 

 their place to give ease of carriage and supplant them. The frequent 

 dumpings from the tree to the packing shed will be eliminated, and 

 the farewell to the old dead axle wagon between the packing shed and 

 the shipping house will be sounded. The standardized pack, with 

 correct comprehensive markings upon the package, under the super- 

 vision of a competent corps of independent inspectors will be a reform 

 of great consequence, bringing increased reputation and standing, as 

 well as additional dollars for our California fruits. 



All this, and still there stands before us the great problem of how to 

 get this fruit into the Eastern markets in such condition as to com- 

 mand the attention and admiration of the consumer. Refrigeration 

 has been tried, and under the old system has proven a help — though 

 expensive. The crying need is for something better. 



The Agricultural Department at Washington, D. C, recognizing the 

 great importance of the fruit industry, detailed their expert, G. Harold 

 Powell, as Pomologist in charge of Fruit Transportation and Storage 

 Investigation. This worthy official came to Newcastle, California, in 

 the summer of 1905 and began his investigations and experiments, and 

 the taking of valuable notations. He improvised a cold storage car, 

 and after holding the fruit for twenty-four hours or more, it was 

 transferred to another cold car and shipped to the Atlantic coast. 



