UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
jjj| BULLETIN No. 331 i|| 
iP^lHS? Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry •^iP^ 
^"^ES WM * A " TAYLOR ' Chief ;SV^ fl ^ 
SSXWRJU 
Washington, D. C. ▼ January 10, 1916 
THE HANDLING AND SHIPPING OF FRESH CHERRIES AND 
PRUNES FROM THE WILLAMETTE VALLEY. 1 
By H. J. Ramsey, 
Pomologist in Charge of Fruit Handling and Storage Investigations. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 1 
Purpose of the investigations 2 
Outline of the experiments 3 
Page. 
Causes of decay in transit 4 
Cherry investigations 4 
Prune investigatinos 13 
INTRODUCTION. 
There is a large bearing acreage of prunes in the district adjacent 
to Salem, Oreg., as well as in the Willamette Valley generally, and 
during the last few years there has been planted a considerable 
acreage of cherries. As a general rule, the prunes are nearly all 
evaporated, while the cherries are usually canned or put up in bar- 
rels for maraschino purposes. Only a small percentage of the cherry 
crop is evaporated. The economic and crop conditions are such that 
during certain seasons it would be a distinct advantage to market a 
portion of the crop in a fresh state instead of evaporating or can- 
ning almost the entire product, as is the case at the present time. 
Many attempts have been made to ship both fresh prunes and cherries 
to eastern markets, but with indifferent success. Great difficulty has 
been encountered in shipping from this section for any considerable 
distance any of these fruits in a green state. 
The problem is rendered particularly difficult and acute because of 
the very humid climate of this section and the frequent rains during 
both the cherry and prune harvesting seasons. The Willamette Val- 
1 B. B. Pratt and A. W. McKay, formerly pomologists in fruit handling and storage 
investigations, and G. M. Darrow and G. W. Dewey, of the Office of Horticultural and 
Pomological Investigations, were all actively engaged in the prosecution of these inves- 
tigations. 
Note.- — This bulletin will be of interest to fruit growers in the Willamette Valley and 
similar sections. 
10980° — Bull. 331—16 1 
