Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1922-08-02

even TO distant markets, WHEN plCkSu
full slip.
The carrying and keeping qualities
of cantaloupes are largely dependent |
upon the care exercised to prevent |
mechanical injuries in harvesting and |
preparation for shipment. From the
standpoint of minimizing or other me-
chanical injury many faults in the
present handling practices may be cor
rected readily by reasonable attention
to equipment and labor 1t is believed
that baskets are more practicable for
use in the field than bags, as they are
more conveniently handled, and if or
binary care is used by the pickers,
there is less chance of bruising. Great
care should be used in loading and I'M
loading these baskets from the wagon,
so as to prevent dropping or other jar
ring, and baskets when stacked should
be so arranged as to not bruise the
cantaloupes on the top layers.
CantalOupe Should be Properly Graded
Cantaloupes from field baskets
should be graded or emptied into pack
ing bins without unnecessary throw
ing, dropping or rolling, and the lin
ing of packing bins should be made of
soft material, or if made of boards
should be we'll padded to prevent
bruising. During the packing canta-
loupes should be placed carefully in
the crates, and not dropped or tossed
into place as is frequently done. In
jury caused by squeezing can be pre-
vented if packers are careful not to
force in diversified melons when finish
ing crates. Cantaloupes should be
| packed so that the tops of the crates
bulge slightly when cover Stats are
nailed on. If the tops bulge too much
the cantaloupes become bruised and
spoilage results.
Wagons used for hauling packed
crates to car loading platforms should
T be equipped with springs to reduce
the injury from Earring. 1t is equally
, as important that the men in charge
| of loading cars use due care in load
| ing, as it is that the grower use due
f care in harvesting and transporting
5 his cantaloupes to the buying center
I If the car loader is negligent and care
D less, much of the growers work is un-
, done. Crates should be stacked only
, on their sides, as the side bulge is
: usually much less than the top, anC
, there is thus less chance of injurine
, the melons, neither should they be
/ thrown or dropped into position, to dc
r so causes serious injury and deteriora-
ton. This applies not only to the
handling of crates at the loading point
but also during the unloading from
cars, and during distribution to whole
= sale, jobbing and retail stores.
Do Not Wrap Catalogues
Wrapped cantaloupes do not cool 81
well in transit, and do not reach the
consumer in as good condition as d.
unwrapped cantaloupes. Free circu
i ton of air around each crate ant
around each melon is essential t
. quick effective refrigeration in transi
= and wrapped cantaloupes cool off NOR
: slowly than those not wrapped be
. cause the paper retards the free cir
= culation of cold air, and to some ex
y tent acts as an insulator, preventin,
q the free transmission of heat from tn
= melons. A large part of the loss from
! wrapping also occurs because of de
Is cay and mold, which develops afte
. the cantaloupes have been unloade,
! from refrigerator cars. When, o.
" summer days, crates of cold canta
u loupes are removed from refrigerato
= cars, moisture from the atmospher
! = condenses on the surface of the mel
:" ons. This moisture soon evaporate
e from the unwrapped melons, but fror
ie the wrapped melons, the evaporation
ie is hindered by the paper, which tend
. to retain the moisture, thus causin
~ mold and decay.
~ The reduction of serious marke
y; losses from oversoft, overripe and de
~ cayed cantaloupes, is also depender
VI to large extent upon the promptnes
Fl with which they are placed under re
On fngeration. After picking they shoul
y be hauled without delay from tn
H. field to the packing shed, where the
r. should be kept in the shade until pacl
~ ed, and they should be packed immeC
ne lately, and while the cantaloupes al
Us being hauled from the packing she
a. to the cars, it is we'll to cover the
IL with canvas or other light colore
n cloth to protect them from the SUI
If it is necessary to load flats ar
standard crates together, the fla
should be placed on top layers or
the stacks nearest the bracing. Ca
"a should also be taken to avoid carele
y loading or shifting of packages. II
" circulation of cold air from the il
h,,nkarc &c pacaccorilxr clou avau n