The times., 1899-05-28
EXHIBITS FROM COLD STORAGE.
Planning to Surprise Eerope With
American Fruit nf@Paris.

American Fruit af4 paris.
The Department of AgaicuIture has been
experimenting for nearE assear past to
determine just what caa bedone to pre-
serve perishable produas Rat it is de-
sired to exhibit at thss Paris Exposition
next year. Little dificaIty is anticipated
in the matter of refrigerated meats and
dairy produce. American methods in these
lines of business already lead the world,
in spite of sharp competition from several
quarters. In fruit stores, however, there
are difficulties of especial Importance. and
although great deal has been accom-
plished in the experiments already con-
Quoted there is much yet to be attained.
1t is now assured that there will be a
large and thoroughly up-to-date storage
building at the exposition. 1t will be built
by American capital under the patronage
OF the department and embody all the in-
provements that science has yet applied to
the problems of refrigeration. The am
monia system will be the one chiefly relied
on. but the cold air system and the car
bonic acid gas system will be demon
strated All the best known and tested
ways of ventilating will also be shown.
ne various temperatures required for
Keeping apples, peaches, .plums, pears
eggs. butter, cheese, and all the many
kinds of fresh and cured meats, poultry
and fish, will be separately maintained,
and can be studied by visitors curious to
learn the latest and safest methods in cold
storage.
The department is desirous of making
the best possible exhibition of American
fruits. and arrangements are well along
IN the choice of exhibits. When it is re-
membered that the fruit to be shown is
now hardly out of the blossom, and that
over wide belt of country the tenderer
fruits were greatly injured by the severe
weather of last February, it can be seen
that the department has before it no easy
task. 1t is apparently assured that there
viii be a large and fine show of apples, all
parts of the country reporting a larger
crop than usual. There will also be plenty
OF Japan plums, pears, and citrus fruits.
1t is hoped there will be show of peaches
toward the end of the season, although
sections and heretofore had vast orchards
viii next year have small output because
of the loss of nine-tenths of the trees by
freezing.
The Kansas experiment station, with the
cooperation of the department, has made
the most extensive trials OF cold storage
Tor fruit Some of the results reported are
quite surprising. For instance, Elberta
peaches. which ripen In Georgia in June
and July, and in Virginia and Missouri and
Kansas in August, have been placed in the
storage plants at Kansas City and Topeka
and kept nearly two months after ripening
and this almost without loss In color
size. and condition they are as good when
taken out as when picked from the tree
In flavor 1t Is, however frankly admitted
that they are not equal to those eaten from
the orchard or from the package In the
season of their ripening. Apples to the
amount of 100000 barrels have been kept
from four to eight months at these points
1t is in the matter Of apples that the de-
partment is especially anxious to get the
best results of cold storage. BY taking
New York and Ne~ England winter yarie-
ties it is believed a show of the finest fruit
can be made straight through the exposi-
tion. American apples come into competi-
tion with those of Western Australia By
the little antipodean circumstance that the
crop there ripens in the spring OF the cal
endar the American apples will be little
at disadvantage, but it is proposed to
overcome this by means Of cold storage
The plan is TO select the fruit most care
fully, wrap it in tissue paper put itin cold
storage, ship it in cold storage compart-
ments on board the steamers, take 1t to
Paris in refrigerator cars. and at once stow
it away in the refrigerator building to be
erected on the exposition grounds.
1t is expected that the cold storage sys-
TENS to be shown By the American exhibit
at the exposition will be great surprise
TO the experts of Europe. Nothing like it
is known across the Atlantic, and it is not
improbable that 1t will greatly increase
our export trade in many lines in which
foreign capital has heretofore not dared to
venture.