56 HARVESTING, STORING, AND MARKETING 



Ordinarily the grower cannot have a private cold-storage 

 plant because machinery and equipment are expensive and 

 the size of the business will not warrant the outlay. The 

 construction costs run from 75 cents to $4.00 per bushel capac- 

 ity, for plants including buildings and equipment, with higher 

 figures in a few cases. The commercial storage charge is by 

 the month or by the season, prices varying with general con- 

 ditions but approaching 30 cents for the first month for barrels, 

 and 10 to 15 cents per month thereafter, or about 55 to 65 

 cents for the season to April 1. The charges at the terminals of 

 large cities are usually greater. Rates on boxes are from 

 15 to 20 cents and on bushel baskets about 25 cents for the 

 season. Fruit may be held later than April 1 at a small addi- 

 tional charge. 



Products other than apples are also stored in these houses. 

 Packing rooms are commonly provided in conjunction with 

 storages at producing points, and some such plants are co- 

 operatively owned by growers in the sections tributary to these 

 shipping points. 



Growers near markets and those operating roadside stands 

 on a large scale are developing small cold-storage plants of 

 their own, especially in Eastern New York, New Jersey, Penn- 

 sylvania, and other Northeastern states. These plants hold 

 from 10,000 to 50,000 bushels. They make possible a con- 

 tinuous supply of high-grade fruit in excellent condition, be- 

 ginning with the early fruits and extending through the apple 

 season. The fruit is often stored in open packages, as crates 

 or boxes, to avoid pressing. This makes an excellent way 

 to handle the tender dessert varieties. 



The plants may be used to store the fruit at harvest, pack- 

 ing it out after picking is completed. Sometimes old build- 

 ings are remodeled. Building and equipment costs have run 

 from 65 to 85 cents or more per bushel ; operating costs, from 

 10 to 12 cents from September 1 to April 1. Volume makes a 

 great difference in these costs. Advice should be obtained 



