White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1927-07-29

residue problem. Last season all ol
the apples were wiped, either by hand
or by various types of wiping ma
chimes, and while this method helped
the appearance of the fruit and nc
doubt increased the sales, it did not
succeed in removing enough of the
spray to come within tile tolerance
| permitted under the Pure Food Act.
I The failure of wiping to accomplish
the desired results has brought abou
experiments in washing the apples II
acid solution, and while the results o.
these experiments has not been entire
ly satisfactory they have proven to bt
much better method of removing ths
spray residue than wiping and it ap
pears now that the grower who doe'
not treat his fruit in this way this yea
will run a strong chance of having i
condemned.
| The problem, it seems, is not one
to be solved by either the grower OF
the state horticultural department bu
it is entirely under the control of the
bureau of chemistry of the U. S. de,
partment of agriculture.
The situation is pretty generally
covered in an article appearing in the
| July issue of Better Fruit" naga-
zine devoted to the northwest fruit in
dusry, published at Portland. The
article follows.
For the benefit of it's thousands Of
readers vitality interested in the spray
residue problem affecting apples and
pears, Better Fruit telegraphed DR..
w. G. Campbell. director of the regu-
1atory division of the bureau of chem
istry, department of agriculture, for an
official statement outlining the depart
ment's policy in the matter.
DR.. Campbell promptly responded
with telegram which must convince
the most skeptical that clean fruit is
imperative and that the domestic toll
erance of OPS and foreign tolerance
Of .o1 will be rigidly enforced in the
coming season. There will be no
nac dification and transgressions will
bring legal action, he asserts. His
message, which speaks for ITSELF. fol-
lows:
Washington, D. c., June 20, 1927.
Better Fruit Publishing Co.,
Portland, Ore,
The tolerance discussed and agreed
upon at Salt Lake conference will
positively not be modified. Depart
ments absolutely committed to them
and considers that for domestic con-
sumption extremely liberal.
"While department fully appreciated
concern felt in Northwest and difficult
lies "a lba antieipated in installing adez
quate cleaning facilities such difficult
- Il III
with disaster which will be met not
only by Northwest but, by entire in
dustry, even in sections where exces-
sive spray is not a factor, if industry
persists in marketing product contain
ing dangerous spray residues. 1t seems
certain that England and European
market will be closed to American fruit
unless within world tolerance.
-. "The publicity given matter in Eng
lish and European press last year has
not escaped attention of eastern press
in this country and department has
succeeded in preventing wide discus
sion only because it could give assur-
ances that situation is and will be con-
troled by the industry itself and by
enforcing agencies in such fashion
as amply to- protect public health. De-
partrnent cannot give such assurances
if Sat Lake tolerances are exceeded
on domestic fruit and would be under
obligation in fact to institute legal
action against shipments which would
undoubtedly result in publicity affec-
ting not alone fruit containing spray
residue but all fruit whether excess
sively sprayed or not.
ULITa ara aJxy;caJ cac%:ore of
industry hesitate to adopt dipping
method, first because uncertain that
acid dips will remove arsenic, and
second because they anticipate some
damage to fruit as result Of dipping.
Experiments On which they reach
conclusion that acid dip will not re-
move spray residue were made, we
understand, on fruit held SO long in
storage as to- produce heavy waxy
deposit which admittedly makes re-
naval residue difficult. Some, at
least, of this experimental fruit was
probably frost damaged thus predis-
posing it to injury on storage.
Opposed to- this are large num-
Der of results obtained by acid dip
on freshly harvested fruit which alb
sclutely convinces department Of prac-
ticability of acid dip method on fresh
fruit Department did not advocate
acid dip until convinced by its own
experiments that method was prac
ticable and in making these public
submitted also it's own designs for
Inexpensive small-scale apparatus
which actually was used successfully
last year. While mot denying possibil-
ity occasional damage in acid-dipping
fruit in course of storage, large guam
titles Of fruit were dipped CONNER
cialIy last season and stored with ut
most success. Such occasional dam
age as may occur is far less serious
in contemplation than is the disas-
ter which lentire industry must face
if this spray residue menace Is not
Immediately counteracted by active and
energetic work on part of industry.
"Repeat again that while depart
ment Is fully cognizant of the diff
oulties and wholly sympathetic with
industry 1t cannot modify existing
tolerances or close its eyes to ship
ments which exceed them. The ques-
ton before the Northwest industry is
net whether a device has been per-
fectcd which in the use of solvents
will eliminate all risks but whether
that section can produce and market
fruit safe for consumption.
wv. G. CAMPBELL, +,
Director Of Regulatory Work"
Edwin Smith, United States mar
kcting agent In Great Britain and
Europe in general, has given re-
markably clear picture Of his activities