By GEO. RICHARDSON, of Leavenworth, Kan.
It has been well said that "Necessity is the mother of invention." Cold
storage of the present time is understood as "mechanical refrigeration,"
and in general, the preservation of perishable articles by means of low
temperature, hence, the act of reducing the temperature of any body, or
maintaining the same below the temperature of the atmosphere, is called
refrigeration, or more familiarly known as cold storage, produced by the
employment of machinery of various types. Of those mostly in use, are
the compression system, using anhydrous ammonia as a refrigerant, by
expanding the ammonia either directly through coils of pipe arranged in
the storage rooms, or through coils of pipe that are submerged in salt
brine, where the brine is reduced to a low temperature and then forced
and circulated through pipes in the storage rooms, one being known as
direct expansion, the other, brine circulation, but both accomplish same
results.
To utilize anhydrous ammonia requires complicated and expensive
machinery, and to those not acquainted with the subject it may seem
strange that more units of heat are produced by the burning of coal,
wood or oil than there are units of cold produced to reduce the
temperature of storage rooms.
Of the uses and benefits of cold storage it can be truthfully stated,
that nothing in recent years has been of more direct benefit to the
farmer, stock-raiser, and fruit-grower. But a brief period has passed
since cellars, caves and underground grottos served as the best means,
and in a limited way under certain conditions of weather, for the
protection and preservation of perishable articles.
To-day machinery has made it possible to control temperature at any
degree and in all climates. The burning heat under the equator would not
be an impediment to secure a zero temperature in a cold-storage room.
The construction and successful operation of the mammoth packing-houses
are the outgrowth of the success of the application of mechanical
refrigeration, where any day of the year a market is made for live
stock. But few years have elapsed since the vast herds of South American
cattle had no value, except for their hides, horns, and tallow, and the
great bands of Australian sheep for their wool. Now immense
refrigerating plants are in operation, freezing the beef and mutton,
with fleets of ocean steamers equipped with refrigerating machinery and
storage rooms filled with frozen meat for European markets. From the
United States the dressed-beef traffic is of large proportions. Storage
speculators are always ready buyers at remunerative prices for butter
and eggs, that in value exceed the great wheat crop of America.
To fruit-growers, especially those engaged in apple culture, cold
storage is attracting more than common interest, as it has been
demonstrated a grand success in the preservation of apples from three to
six months longer, in good condition, than in natural storage that is
subject to the changeable influences of the atmosphere. At the same
time, the apples retain their original and individual flavor, color, and
crispness.
Cold storage, or mechanical refrigeration, arrests fermentation and
decay, or, better stated, prolongs the life and keeping qualities.
Of the advantages gained, it offers a place of safe-keeping for future
market, and affords a protection for the grower if market conditions are
not favorable; such as an overstocked market, consequently low prices,
caused largely and influenced by many other varieties of fruit that are
in season while the apple crop is being gathered.
Again, the fact of the existence of cold-storage houses has brought into
the field speculators, which has a wholesome influence, and oftentimes
strengthens the markets and lessens the quantity that would of necessity
be forced on sale at an earlier period at a great sacrifice, which is
the situation this year, where the enormous crops of New York, New
England and Michigan apples are being sold at from fifty to seventy-five
cents a barrel (including barrels) placed aboard cars, for the want of
proper and sufficient storage facilities to relieve part of the burden.
No such condition or low price has yet been felt by the Western grower.
There may be years when the buyers will look far into the future and
think they can see visions of long prices, when it would be wise for the
growers to sell, as there is some risk to be taken as to future markets
being lower than prices in the fall, but such is not the rule.
From six years' experience with mechanical refrigeration and the storage
of Western-grown apples, there has not been a year but what a profit has
been shown over and above the cost of storage, insurance, and minor
incidental charges. One of the first to make the experiment, and who
have been patrons of Ryan & Richardson's cold storage, at Leavenworth,
since the plant was erected, were Wellhouse & Son, the largest apple
growers in the United States, and the records show a net profit of from
fifty cents a barrel, as the lowest of any year, to as high as $1.50
other years. It is gratifying to state that, in all the years, not a
single car-load was rejected when sold. Much of the success must be
given credit to the grower who gathers his crop at the right time, in a
careful manner, graded and packed according to the requirements of the
trade. Then, if the cold storage to which he intrusts the care of his
crop uses the same watchfulness as to necessary temperature, proper
ventilation at the right time, the result usually will be gratifying and
remunerative to both.