The morning call., 1894-11-15
PERFECT FRUITS.
On the Road for Fifteen
Days in a Car.
Inspection of the Experimental Ship
ment to New Orleans at the
Depot Yesterday.

After journey of over 5000 miles, re-
| curing fifteen days, the experimental car
| loaded with fruits and flowers which
| started from Oakland over two weeks ago
returned from its Trip TO New Orleans.
This car was loaded with the purpose in
view Of testing thoroughly the efficacy of
steriliZed atmosphere. as a substitute for
Ice for use in refrigerator ears, and the re-
suits secured were in every way of the
most satisfactory nature.
There was a representative crowd of
| gentlemen present when the car was
! opened yesterday morning. including the
| president and other officials of the State
! Board of Trade, several gentlemen who
are interested in the carbOnic acid plan re-
Gently tested in the same manner as the
one now spoken of. and number of the
| head officials of the Southern Pacific Com
pany. DR.. Perkins, who was the inventor
of the process under consideration, vas
| also present.
He superintendent the fitting up of the
car ana its loading, and went with il all
| the way through TO New Orleans In order
| to see that everything was all right ana 10
observe closely the effects OF The process
upon the contents of the car.
Dr. Perkins said that the car had been
opened about thirty times during the trip,
and Tor this reason the condition of its
contents now was manfestly not a fair
test as TO the merits of the plan, but it
proved upon examination that no explana-
ton of this character was necessary, as
both the fruit and flowers were found TO
be ID most excellent condition.
There was hardly an article in the car
which showed the slightest Indication of
| decay. Boxes Of grapes we're taken out
which were as firm as the day they were
|. packed and which proved to have retained
all their usual flavor DIR. Perkins stated
that these grapes were picked In the early
morning while the dew was still fresh
upon them, and this statement brought
out the remark from one CT the gentlemen
| present that they should have been first
dried in the sun before packing, as much
injury was likely to result from the mOis-
ture spoken of after being packed for
day or two. No trace Of bad effects in this
particular were noticeable. This was also
true of all the fruits in the car. and, as
for the flowers, they still retained their
fragrance and fresh appearance. Splendid
hrysanthemums were brought TO the
light without a dropping leaf. looking, as
the OnlookerS said, as if they had just
been plucked from the garden.
The most interesting phase of this ex-
pertinent rests in the probable cost Of ship
ments, and il what is claimed for the pro-
cess proves true the fruit-growers and
florists of this State will have great cause
for self-c0ngratulation. 1t is said that the
maximum cost of shipment by this process
will be S25 car, and ii is thought that $40
Will IN most cases be amply sufficient TO
pay the cost in this respect. Shipment in
the old manner ny refrigerator cars costs
approximately $500 each. thus making a
saving of at least S175 car.
Frequently in packing a car with ice as
much as two tons are wasted without Sc
curing an result. that is, IL requires that
amount to get the car down to the neces-
sarv temperature before the fruit can be
put in. Another saving of magnitude by
The new process will be that of space, a S
no ice will be required, thus giving car
capacity fully One-quarteT greater than 1t
possesses under the present methods. This,
Of course. wilt necessiiate the construction
of new cars especially ntted up for the
purpose designated.
Competent authorities state tina there
are each year on an average 10000 cars of
fruit shipped out of California, and esti-
mating the saving on each car al $50, the
neat sum of S3,000,000 is saved TO the
grower.
a feature of the sterilized atmosphere
process which will have quite a bearing
upon its success is that under the method
fruits. it is claimed, will ripen while in
transit, the effect of the air being at the
same time to prevent, or rather in great
measure retard, the work of decay.
The greatest interest was manifested in
the experiments, as DIR. Perkins reports,
not only by the commission men of New
Orleans but by all The fruit-gro wers who
inspected the cars. During the short stay
Ia tnat CITY dozens OF them looked over
the contents of the cars, and all along the
line where stops we're made inquiries were
frequent as to the condition of the ship
ment. 1t is probable that another ship
ment will be made soon TO Chicago. after
some necessary changes suggested by the
nrst Trip have been made.