The Washington times., 1919-08-17

for a considerable period In salt and
in pickle containing lime and other
preservatiYes. The more durable
fruits were held in cellars.
Canning served and still serves to
e certain extent to preserve the fruits
without. however, retaining their un-
cooked flavor and quality, but It
cannot be used at all in the preser-
vation Of many staple articles. Meats
and fsh were preserved by sailing.
In these early days in trade, owing
to the varying production Of many
perishsble foods as influenced by
weather conditions, all markets were
subject to periods Of glut-large
quantities OF even the best qualities
were often unssleable. consequently
enormous waste occurred.
Eggs Carted To Dump.
In the market reports OF those
times, during the summer season it
was not uncommon to find accounts
of large quantities of eggs and per-
ishabIe fruits and vegetables being
carted to the dump for lack OF sale
before they became worthless.
About fifty years ago, ice cooling
chambers began to be used in trans
portation and is a means Of tempo
rary preservation.
Mechanical refrigeration later gave
great assistance to the extension OF
the service by affording a dry air, a
lower temperature, and at less cost.
and the introduction and extension
of this system during the past forty
to nifty years has extended the period
of availability OF seasonable food
products, thereby enormously increas-
ing the opportunity for profitable pro-
duction and adding greatly to the
quantity OF food in comparison with
the quantity that could. without this
facility be produced with proft.
When mechanical cold storage was
first introduced. it gave Individual
handlers Of perishabIe products con-
siderable advantage over their COM
petitors-this advantage necessarily
yielding them increased profits which
were not shared at that time by the
consumers or producers.
This condition, however. was only
Of short duration, as the necessity for
cold storage. after II had been intro
dUced and shown to be practical and
effective, became imperative to all
distributors and led to the institution
Of large and more perfect public re-
frigerating plants which could be
patronized by all-prodUcers, con-
sumers, and dealers. Free competi-
tion reduced the average profits to
point no more than commensurate
with the capital and labor invested,
thus distributing the real advantages
Of the system among the producers,
consumers, and tradesmen.
Must Assure PROFIT.
AS products may be preserved in
~ H,-ga = l.
the season OF flush production to the
next, ii is evident that the normal
price OF that commodity is the price
at which the entire production will be
consumed during that period. This
price must be high enough to afford
a profit to producers commensurate
with other occupations open to them
and low enough to insure the CON
sumption OF the greatest quantity of
the product that can be so produced
1t is manifestly improbable to car
ry a perishable product past the fol-
lowing season of flush production, as
the cost of holding is more than any
possible difference in the level of
prices from year to year, because in
all cases goods approXimating a year
old, even though they may be in
sound condition, are worth less in the
market than fresh production of the
same kind.
Butter is usually carried at a tenn |
perature ranging about zero. and at /
this temperature it is preserved I'm !
the same condition as !
when placed in storage
High grade butter stored during
the season of heavy production is ,
equal to the average current make OF |