New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-08-22

SVut"VH OVoTA8e PIoteCtS tne app
Mo
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
1t Is Just about as reasonable to ex
pose butter to the heat of the mid
summer sun and expect it to retain it,
firm, solid consistency as 1t is to try
to keep apples in an attractive, mar
ketable condition in the storage houses
available on many farms. An efficient
storage is the growers insurance
against loss; 1t permits of carrying the
fruit In good condition after 1t is re.
moved from the orchard and previous
to the time when it is consigned to
commercial storage. Common storage
consists of an inexpensive, ventilated
house for the storage of apples for the
season, utilizing natural ventilatOrs
with cold night air instead of refriger-
alton. Another use of common storage
Is to furnish temporary housing for
the crop SO that the apples may be
kept under favorable conditions after
picking and previous to shipment to
market OF permanent cold storage.
Time was-and not so very remote at
that-when common storage for ap-
Piles was a prerequisite on every farm
which boosted much Of an orchard.
and this applies equally to the eastern
as well as to the northern and western
states.
A new interest is developed In COM
mon storage for apples. particularly
In the eastern states, as well as in
other sections Of the country. such as
the Pacific northwest where about 80
per cent Of the apples placed In stor.
age are held through the season In
common storage houses.
Better Storage FaeIiitIea
1t is not to be supposed that com.
mon storage for apples can displace
the commercial cold storage ware.
house which offers greatly improved
conditions for proper storage. How
ever, the insuficiency Of cold storage
space during the wal period In many
Of the old apple-growing sections as
well as difficulties in handling or NOV
Ing the crop promptly, emphasized the
Importance Of better facilities for the
handling Of storage apples, and the
new districts planted during recent
years are In some Use entirely with
out commercial storage warehouses.
The United States department Of agri.
culture is receiving many inquiries
from fruit growers and shippers in all
sections of the country relative to the
proper construction Of suitable apple
storages.
Federal Investigations Of the han.
ding and storage of apples, which
have been conducted with special ref.
erence to the Pacific northwest, have
shown that properly insulated stor.
ages. provided with the necessary
means of ventilation, can be success.
fully operated, and allow the grower
to hold his fruit In prime condition for
the market.
Care In the operation Of these stor.
age houses is just as important as in
heir construction. The best Of stOr.
age houses sometimes fail through the
,arelessness Of the owners In neglect.
ng to provide proper ventilation for
he building, particularly as regards
he provision Of ventilators which may
kept open when the temperature
outside make 1t desirable,
While the ventilatOrs should be closed
lightly whenever the outside temper
ltures are higher than those inside
he house. Carefully worked out
and drawings are being prepared
the United States department Of
and will be sent free on
equest to any farmer.
Insulation Of Houses.
The early commercial storage houses
insulated with mill shavings and
awdust. investigations by the federal
demonstrating that these
Materials are ideally suited for insula-
lon and not so expensive as cardboard
other prepared insulation mate
ials. 1t is essential to keep all insu-
,tion material dry. this being why
havings are preferred TO sawdust, as
is difficult to obtain dry sawdust In
lrge quantities. On the other hand,
laner-mill shavings made from sea.
Dned lumber require no artificial dry. T
lg and should be tightly packed in
he wall. which must be at least six
lches thick. The outside wall Of the {
torage house should be composed Of
NO layers of boards between which
paper should be used. II (
not essential to duplicate this in the
lside wall, as here only one thickness
I boards may be used in the interest
I cheaper construction. although such
q arrangement is not as satisfactory
,r long use as is a double thickness (,
I boards on both inside and outside
Of the walls and ceiling.
The common storage house should c
= built with a false floor approx
ately three feet above the earth or
floor. Intake vents should Il