Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-02-07
HANDLING FRUITS FOR
THE DISTANT MARKETS
Care in Picking and Packing Essen
tial to Development of the
New Outlets.

Washington, D. c., Feb. 5.-The i'm
portance of careful picking and hand
ling in preventing decay in such fruits
as cherries and prunes is brought out
in Bulletin 33l of the United States
Department of Agriculture, which con-
tains 1 report of experiments conduct
ed with these fruits in the Willamette
velley, Oregon. Hitherto it has not
usually been found profitable to ship
fresh cherries and prunes from this
region to distant markets because of
the unsatisfactory condition in which
the products arrive. These investiga-
tions demonstrate that a great part of
tne decay can be prevented by the ex-
ercise of proper care, but that unless
care is exercised there is little hope of
disposing of the fresh cherry and prune
crop of this region in distant markets.
The facts brought out in the investiga-
tion are believed to be APPLICABLE also to
other sections of the country.
The losses which shippers of cher
ries and prunes experience are due
chiefly to brown rot ami to other fun
gi which gain entrance through abrasi-
ons in the skin, or other injuries to
the fruit. The brown rot must be CON
trolled by proper orchard practice. On
the other hand, the loss from those
forms of fungi which do not attack
healthy, sound fruit can be minimized
by careful handling.
In order to demonstrate this fact the
investigators stored various lots of
carefully handled fruit and of CONNER.
cially handled fruit for varying periods
in 4 refrigerator car, in which the con-
ditions were made as nearly as possible
identical with those under which the
fruit would travel in actual commercial
practice. At the end of 5 days in the
iced ear, the carefully handled fruit
showed an average of only 0.j per cent
of decay, while the commercially hand.
led fruit showed 2.S per cent of decay
or practically 6 times the amount. At
the end of 10 days the carefully hand
led fruit had l.5 per cent Of decay, and
the commercially handled lots 1913 PEI
cent, or times as much. Ten days is
approximately the time required tc
ship fruit from the Willamette valley
/ to Chicago.
Similar results were obtained from
experiments with prunes, although with
tnem the percentage of decay for botl
commercially handled and carefully
handled fruit was smaller than with
cherries. 1t is pointed out, however
that although every effort was made
to have the conditions approximate
those in actual transportation, it I.
probable that the fruit kept better in
the iced car used for these tests thar
it would in the ordinary Refrigerator
car in transit
Experiments were also conducted
both with carefully handled and com
mercially handled fruit to determine
the value of preceding before placing
the fruit in the refrigerator car. These
tests show that preceding is undoubt
edly of value. On the other hand. il
can not be relied upon to prevent loss
es due to careless handling. injured
fruit will decay whether it is pre,coolet
or not, and for this reason preceding
I is not recommended unless it is preced
ed by adequate care in picking ant
packing.
1t is also pointed out that any delay
/ between the picking and the shipping
of fruit hastens decay. The amount ol
damage done in this way viii vary, Of
course, with the weather conditions
but under any circumstances it is con
siderable.
In view of these facts it is recon
mended that every precaution shoull
be taken in picking the fruit not {,
bruise it, and that it should be trans
ferred rs few times as possible from
one contaner into another. While il i
being held in the orchard after picl,
ing it should be kept in the shade an,
the hauling wagon should be provide,
with good springs and covered will
canvas in order to keep off sun an,
dirt. in grading al damaged frni
should be culled out, and as soon q
the shipment has been packed it shoul,
be plaeeud in the refrigerator car.
The extra expense of careful -aaiid
ling II is said, will be more than off
set by the reduction Of losses from do
cay and the ability Of the fruit l.
maintain itself in good condition Will
exposed FOR sale. IF these suggestion
are adopted generally by fruit grow
ers and in consequence larger propor
ton Of the crop marketed fresh, IL /
believed that the industry will benefi
greatly and its extension viii be mad
profitable That this fact is being rec
.ognized by fruit growers is Indicate
by the cooperation afforded the d,
partment in its investigation by tn
growers in the Willamette valley.
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As the Atlanta Constitution saw
I Brand Whitlopk may have had a rouo