Imperial Valley press., 1921-07-07
RIPE MELONS
SHIP WELL
NEW YORK
REPORT
Test Train Arrives at Des-
tinatiOn With CantalOupes
in Perfect Condition. Cen
eral Shipments Too Green.

Full slip and dead ripe cantaloupes
shipped from the Imperial Valley two
weeks ago in the. "test train," arrived
in New York in ideal condition accord :
ing TO the report sent from there on
the arrival of the train. A majority
of the crates of melons, which were in
ordinary shipping condition when
started arrived too green, and the
experiment may mean revolution IN
the melon shipping from the valley.
The report from the shipment is as
follows:
"Tests on shipments of Imperial
Valley cantaloupes, completed this
week by the California Department Of
Agriculture in conjunction with otfi--
cials of the Pacific Fruit Express ana
Federal officials, indicated that most
of the cantaloupes from there are be-
ing picked and shipped too green.
There were six cars of cantaloupes IN
this experimental shipment, and they
reached New York Sunday night in
time for the 10th morning delivery
from the Imperial Valley. The work
for the California department OF agri-
culture was supervised by l.. J. Wei
shaar of the Standardization service
of the California department OF agri-
culture. Mr. Weishaar has been su-
pervising shipping point Inspection
work, particularly on onions, potatoes.
lettuce and celery this season.
1.-The cantaloupes were loaded N +.
f. T.. cars and in addition to the test
as to the arriving condition of tfe
fruit the p. +. f.. people sent several
of their men, including c. A. Richard
son. engineer of tests Tor the company
with The shipment to experiment with
equipment tests. Two OF the cars
were equipped with new style of IN
sulation, known as Balso Wood; one
car with a metal roof instead of wood
while the three other cars were re-
built ones of various ages. . This is
but one of series of equipment tests
which the p. f. E. is making and
while a good many valuable points
were secured, they were not definite
enough on which to make any an
nOuncement.
"The cars were all loaded in the
same manner with electric recording
thermometers at different points or
the cars and in the fruit itself. An
accurate record of temperature was
kept which showed that it dropped
rapidly from 70 degrees at loading
point to about 40 and remained prac-
| tically stationary around that hgure
until the fruit reached New York. Mr.
Weishaar said that the melons ar
rived in practically the -ame ,condl-
ton in which they were shipped.
GAS an experiment, he packed three
crates in the shipment; one of hall
slip melons pretty green and hard
about the same as the bulk of tht
melons now being shipped are picked
Another crate was packed with full
slip, we'll matured melons, good ans
firm, while the third was packed will
yellow and dead ripe fruit. The!
were all packed identically the same
The half slip melons had not i'm
proved any in maturity, the full slll
melons were in ideal condition, while
4 those shipped dead ripe did not SHOW
any decay.
| "This is only one of series OF eX
periments the California department
of agriculture has been conductin:
Mr.. Weishaar said. 1t has been tn
impression of the department. tina
melons from the Imperial Valley wer
shipped too green. The idea OF tn
shippers in doing this was to insur
good arriving condition of the fruit
with the possibility of is standing u
if it was necessary to reship. The re
suits Of the test, Mr.. Weishaar says
pretty we'll convinced him that wi.
proper refrigeration, there is no rea
son why full slip melons should nc
he shipped at all times, excepting PEI
haps, at the wind-up of the. seasol
Continued on page four.)