THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
133 
Twenty years ago, a mechanical refrigerator 
was an unknown factor in the commercial 
handling of fruit. In 1903, more than two 
and a quarter million bushels of apples were 
stored in mechanically refrigerated warehouses 
in the United States in the month of December. 
We said, twenty years ago, and yet it is largely since 1890 
that mechanical refrigeration has been applied to the prob¬ 
lem of carrying our apples through the winter. In fact, it 
may be said, that it was not until a storage warehouse in 
connection with the horticultural department at the World’s 
Fair, at Chicago, in 1893, had successfully demonstrated 
to a large number of interested parties, the possibilities of 
the method, that it became widely popular. 
To show the manner in which the business has developed 
in the past six years we quote the following figures from the 
report of the International Apple Shippers’ Association. 
From this we find that in December 1898, there were 800,000 
bushels in cold storage; in 1899, 1,580,000; in 1900, 1,226,000; 
in 190L 1,771,000; in 1902, 2,978,000; in 1903, 2,348,000- 
bushes of apples in storage. The principal fruit distributing 
1 centers are now supplied with storage warehouses. Indeed 
the store house has been multiplied in the producing centers 
and some of the best equipped plants that we know of, are 
situated in the Lake Ontario counties of Western New York. 
THE DEVEL. 
OPMENT OF 
COLD STOR¬ 
AGE AS 
APPLIED TO 
APPLES. 
A very important article by G. Herold Powell, on this 
subject appears in the Year Book of the Department of 
Agriculture for 1903, under the title of the “Relation of 
cold stor- Cold Storage to Commercial Apple Culture.” In 
age in re- discussing the influence of cold storageon the 
la tion to keeping qualities of the apple, Mr. Powell lays 
^ ^yj E m 
down several principles. Among these he em- 
ClAL APPLE , , r , . . ? 
culture phasizes the tact that the truit as it comes 
from the tree is a living body; that life 
processes are only retarded not arrested by cold storage; 
that apple scab and fungous diseases generally are in¬ 
fluenced in the same way, but that there are certain low 
forms of fungi, as blue moulds for instance, that will grow 
on decaying or decayed fruit even at freezing temperatures. 
The article also emphasizes the point that the condition 
of the fruit on entering storage, is an important factor in 
influencing its behavior while in storage. In other words 
it is very difficult to get two lots of fruit exactly in the same 
condition; and if they are not in exactly in the same con¬ 
dition, it is unreasonable to suppose that they will keep in 
precisely the same manner in storage. 
A temperature varying from 31 to 32°F. is recommended 
as an ideal temperature for keeping apples, although it is 
stated that some varieties of winter apples, in prime con¬ 
dition, can be satisfactorily stored in dry atmospheres in 
temperatures varying from 34 to 36°F. It would appear 
that the ideal storage apple is one fully grown and properly 
colored but one which re still hard and firm when taken from 
the tree. It is stated, and this is contrary to public opinion, 
that an apple picked prematurely ripens more rapidly in 
storage than one in a more mature condition; that immature 
fruit deteriorates as quickly or more quickly than fully 
matured fruit. This seems to controvert the prevailing idea 
that fruit must be picked “green” in order to keep well. 
One of the most interesting paragraphs in this article, 
is that relating to the development of “apple scald” in storage. 
This appears to be one of the greatest difficulties with which 
apple storage men have to contend. It develops as a rule 
with great rapidity, but usually toward the end of the storage 
season. The scald makes it appearance as a brownish dis¬ 
coloration on the green parts of the fruit. The scald ap¬ 
pears to be caused by a ferment which works in the tissues 
just beneath the skin. The trouble is not deeply seated, nor 
is a great deal of the apple tissue destroyed but the salability 
of the fruit is greatly impaired. 
The author of the article states that well grown apples 
when properly stored in a sufficiently low temperature are 
not likely to be affected by scald. Varying temperatures 
are likely to induce the development of scald. Then, again 
some varieties are much more susceptible to injury from this 
malady than others. 
The author says in closing, that while the export trade 
in apples has increased rapidly yet it is surprising to note 
that less than 20% of the apple exports of the United States 
in the year 1902, were sent to points outside of Great Britain. 
This suggests vast possibilities for the trade in the years 
to come when the European markets shall be completely 
invested 
SHIPMENTS OF CALIFORNIA FRUIT. 
The Sacramento Valley Development Association of Sacramento, 
California, reports that up to August 29, 1904, shipments of California 
fruits to eastern points have passed through Sacramento this season 
to date aggregating 33302 carloads as follows: 
Cherries.209 cars 
Peaches.475 
Pears.1400 
Apricots.96 
Plums. 990 
Grapes.150 
Apples.8£ 
Figs.•.2 
Total.3330£ cars 
These figures cover almost the entire fruit shipments from the State. 
The total is considerably less than that of shipments to the same date 
last year. The shortage is principally in apricot and peaches, these 
crops being light throughout the State. Apricot shipments last year 
aggregated 231 special cars, peach shipments 1866 cars. 
Cherry shipments are approximately the same as hist year. 'Pear 
and grape shipments to date exceed those of last year. Grape ship¬ 
ments have barely begun. The crop is heavy and of good quality. 
The pear crop is unusually large. The prune crop is large and of 
good quality. 
THE SUNNY SOUTH. 
The May number of North and South, which escaped our attention 
before, is an especially interesting one. It is a strawberry number 
and contains a fine collection of strawberry stories, attractively illus¬ 
trated. Certainly, there is a strong inducement offered to the reader 
to visit, if not to become a resident of the rich Alabama region des¬ 
cribed in this number. The following is an example of the glowing 
style of the issue: 
“To thousands of people the South appeals as a delectable land. 
They regard with interest that wide section of the country, lying 
within a day’s journey of the great commercial centers, where ice 
and snow are unknown. It would delight them to change from reg¬ 
ions where they are “shut in” for half the year to a spot w'here there 
is not only health, and land to be had at low cost, but where all the 
days of the year are out-of-door days. But they have always regarded 
the South as distinctively “the land of cotton,” and it is usually a 
surprise to learn of the opportunities for diversified agriculture which 
exist below Mason & Dixon’s line.” 
