The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-08-21

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 1t to retain its
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 1t is consigned to
commercial storage. Common storage
consists of an inexpensive. ventilated
house for the storage OF apples for the
season, utilizing natural yentilators
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 or permanent cold storage.
Time was-and not so very remote at
that-when common storage for ap-
pies 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 so
per cent of the apples placed In stor-
age are held through the season in
common storage houses.
Better Storage Facilities.
It is not to be supposed that COM
mon storage for apples can displace
house which offers greatly improved
conditions for proper storage. How
ever. the insufnciency Of cold storage
space during the war period In many
Of the old apple-growing sections A.
well as difficulties In handling or NOV
lng 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 cases entirely with
out commercial storage warehouses.
The United States department Of agri-
culture IL receiving many inquiries
from fruit growers and shippers in all
sections Of the country relative to the
proper construction Of suitable apple
storageA
Federal investigations Of the ham
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
their construction. The best Of stor-
age houses sometimes fail through the
carelessness Of the owners in neglect
ing to provide proper ventilation for
the building, particularly as regards
the provision Of ventilators which may
be kept open when the temperature
conditions outside make 1t desirable.
while the ventilators should be closed
tightly whenever the outside temper
atures are higher than those inside
the house. Carefully worked out
plans and drawings are being prepared
by the United States department Of
agriculture and will be sent free on
request to any farmer.
Insulation Of Houses.
The early commercial storage houses
were insulated with mill shavings and
sawdust. investigations by the federal
department demonstrating that these
materials are ideally suited for insula-
ton and not SO expensive as cardboard
and other prepared insulation mate
RAILS 1t is essential to keep all insu-
lation material dry. this being why
shavings are preferred to sawdust, as
1t is difficult to obtain dry sawdust in
large quantities. On the other hand,
planer-mill shavings made from sea-
soned lumber require no artificial dry
ing and should be tightly packed in
the wall, which must be at least six
inches thick. The outside wall Of the
storage house should be composed of
two layers Of boards between which
waterproof paper should be used 1t
is not essential to duplicate this In the
, inside wall. as here only one thickness
of boards may be used in the interest
of cheaper construction, although such
an ARRANGEMENT is not as satisfactory
for long use as is double thickness
fbf boards on both inside and outside
surfaces of the walls and ceiling.
The. common storage house should
be built, with q false floor approx
mately three feet above the earth or
conerete dog. Intake vents should