1
BIX MEDFORD (OREGON) MAIL TRIBUNE
Sunday, January 12, 1958
Experiment in Sleeping Quality
Pears on Shelf Starts in Plant
Pears may be maintained
at a higher peak of quality
while in storage if an experi
ment conducted at Myron
Root and company proves
successful.
The experiment, called con
trolled atmosphere storage, is
being carried out by Dr. Rol
and Blake of the Southern
Oregon branch experiment
station, assisted by Clifford
B. Cordy, county horticulture
agent, and packing company
officials. It is being firfanced
by the Medford Pear Shippers
association.
This is the first such ex
periment to be carried out on
a commerical basis with pears,
as far as can be determined,
Cordy said. However, Dr.
Elmer Hansen, Oregon State
college horticulturist, is con
ducting such an experiment
with pears on a smaller scale.
Cordy emphasized the work
at the packing plant Is experi
mental and it is impossible at
this time to predict results
and possible affects on the
pear industry.
Air-Tight Tent
The test unit for the year
long experiment started last
week consists of an air-tight
Mylar film tent, a plastic ma
terial spread over a carload
of 780 boxes of pears.
The pears cheifly D'Anjous
with some winter Nellis, P.
Berry and Packham's Tri
umph. The Mylar tent has
been sealed air-tight with a
ill W 9XX P . I
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CHECKS TEMPERATURE Don Root of Myron Root and
company checks the temperature recording machine
hooked up to the controlled atmospheric storage tent in
the company's cold storage room. Thermo couples have
been packed inside boxes of pears in five different loca
tions inside the tent. The meter also measures the tempera
ture in one location outside the tent. The purpose is to
make sure the fruit is kept at nearly the same temperature.
If there is a variety of temperatures the fruit at each of
th five locations inside the tent will be checked for
Quality when they are unpacked.
TABLE ROCK
Four Mishaps on Bridge
By R. E. NEALON
- Table Rock Frozen fog
on the deck of the Bybee
bridge caused four accidents
in the space of two hours
Tuesday morning, sending
two persons to the hospital
and doing extensive damage
to three cars.
The first car which went
out of control was one driven
by Guita Hake of Sams Valley
which skidded, but kept go
ing, following along and hit
ting some of the guide posts
at the south end oZ the bridge
but finally straightening out
and going its way.
A car, driven by Mrs. Mil
ton Skank also of Sams Val
ley, skidded out of control,
crossed from side to side a
few times, knocked down a
guide post, turned completely
around and headed back to
ward Sams Valley where the
driver went deciding she had
enough skidding for the day.
The third car hit the slick
spot was driven by J. S. Rich
ardson which rammed its
front end into the bannister,
slid along a short distance
ynd whirled around, stopped
jross ways of the bridge. Mrs.
Richardson, who was a pas
senger suffered bruises about
the knees.
" About 30 minutes later, a
car driven by Mrs. Earl Big
h a m accompanied by her
mother. Mrs. Agatha Stevens,
poth of Beagle, approached
and before it could be flagged
down, hit the danger zone,
and began to do a rock and
roll on ice, the door flying
open and spilling the occu
pants out and later doing an
about face, coming to a stop
petween the guide post and
a sheer drop over the bank.
Mrs. Bigham was unconscious
lor a time, and her mother al
so was quite badly shaken up.
The two were taken to a Med
ford hospital by C. W. McDon
pugh, Earl Peffley and Albert
Straus, who happened along
on their way to Medford.
Word was received by Paul
Rynning. county engineer, and
a load of sand was soon spread
on the bridge which put an
end to the spinning.
The local Sunday School
election officers for the year
last Sunday. Bert Pierce was
elected superintendent, Doris
Nealon, assistant superintend
ent; June Fleischer, secretary;
and Inice Pierce, treasurer.
The treasurer's records show
funds amounting to S654.81
received from collections dur
ing the year, and S615.41 was
paid out for supplies, dona
tions to missionaries, includ
ing $338 tot he American Sun
day School Union, and $130
put into the building fund,
which now amounts to Sl,-436.53.
The Bert Pierce family re
turned Friday from a trip to
"their old stamping ground in
;Arkansas. -On their way home
they visited relatives in Tulsa,
Okla.
Gorden Kershaw has prom
ised us a few dwarf apple
trees from his fast growing
nursery for a back yard or
chard, which we appreciate
very much. Ever since we
have known Gorden, he has
been trying to invent some
thing that would save we poor
farmers from some of the
back breaking drugery, and
thus it seems will be a big
help. Outside of maybe hav
ing to set out the trees, the
little woman can do the rest.
She can prune the small trees
from the ground, spray them
with the fly sprayer, and pick
the apples while standing on
the kitchen stool.
Mr. and Mrs. Abe Halfhill,
and son, Jerry, have returned
from a three weeks vacation,
leaving here by car they pick
ed up Clyde Halfhill at
George Air Force base,' Calif.,
who went along for the rest
of the trip, which took them
to Wichita Falls, Tex., where
they visited relatives. Going
from here, they went to Cleve
land, Miss., spending two
weeks there with Mrs. Half
hill's family. Later they visit
ed Abe's relatives in Mitch
ell, S. D., coming back
through the Black Hills and
getting a view of the beauti
ful Rushmore carvings and
the monument to General Custer.
special machine. A section of
stove-pipe inside the tent is
coupled to an air-scrubber ma
chine and blower outside the
tent.
Aim in to maintain carbon
dioxide at a 2 per cent level.
Oxygen wil eventually be
kept at 5 per cent. Removal
of the excess carbon dioxide
which pears give off in stor
age and eventual maintain
ence of the oxygen at the 5
per cent level may keep the
fruit at a high peak of quality
longer, experimenters hope.
The excess carbon dioxide
is removed from the air with
in the tent by a fan to suck
the air through the bottom
of the tent and through the
scrubber machine which con
tains a solution of sodium
hydroxide resembling pure
white lye. The oxygen is main
tained at a proper level by
admitting small amounts of
additional outside air.
Carbon Dioxide Analyxer
A C02 (carbon dioxide)
analyzer is used to measure
the tent air at regular in
tervals. Another instrument
measures the oxygen in the
air. Thermocouples have been
installed at several spots with
in the tent for temperature
readings.
The air is scrubbed and ad
ditional oxygen added when
the instruments show a need
for it.
Another aim of the experi
ment is to see if the Mylar
material is effective and can
be used on a large scale in
cold storage.
Less Expensive
Fruit authorities say esti
mates show it would be less
expensive to construct a con
trolled atmosphere storage
room with Mylar than with
galvanized iron.
The method of storage has
been used largely in the east
ern states to prolong the stor
age life of Mcintosh apples.
While attending a national
convention of county agents
in Boston, Mass., Cordy be
came interested in the new
method of storage.
Dr. Hansen, however, has
been conducting such an ex
periment with pears at the
college for some time, Cordy
said. Other tests are being
made in California, for New
town apples, in British Co
lumbia for Mcintosh apples
and other varieties of apples
at Yakima, Wash.
On Larger Scale
When tests are conducted
on a larger scale here next
year, spokesman say they will
extend the shelf life and de
velop a higher quality of fruit
at the point of sale. Tests on
apples have also been direct
ed toward these points, plus
extension of the marketing
season for individual varities.
Next year's tests also will
be financed by the Medford
Pear Shippers, according to
industry spokesmen.
The committee working on
the experiment includes Don
Root and Bob Root, Martin
Luther Sr., Rogue River Orch
ards, Charles King, Nye and
Naumes Packing company,
Dr. Roland Blake, Southern
Oregon Branch Experiment
Station and Cordy. Dr. Han
sen will assist in evaluating
results of the test trials.
CONFER BEFORE EXPERIMENT Don
Root, left, Myron Root and company, holds
the instrument measuring the carbon diox
ide content of the controlled atmosphere
storage tent with Charles King, center,
Nye and Naumes, and Clifford B. Cordy,
right, county horticulture agent, looking
on. A section of the tent made of air-tight
Mylar film and containing equivalent to
a carload of pears is shown in the picture.
To the left is the drum containing the air-
scrubber machine, the connecting stove
pipes and blower. The air is sucked through
the bottom of the tent and sent through the
air-scrubber machine which contains a solu
tion resembling pure lye, then recirculated
through the tent. The air-scrubber is used
when the C02 content of the tent exceeds
the 2 per cent level. The experiment is
being conducted in the Myron Root and
company cold storage room.
p 1
CHECK CARBON DIOXIDE CONTENT Three of the
committee conducting the controlled atmosphere experi
ment with pears check the carbon dioxide content within
the air-tight tent. Clifford B. Cordy, Jackson county horti
culturist, left, holds the Fyrite gas analyzer while Don
Root, Myron Root and company, pokes a needle into the
tent fabric. Charles King of Nye and Naumes Packing
company looks on. Eventual aim of the experiment is to
maintain the C02 .content of the tent at 2 per cent and
the oxygen content at 5 per cent as part of the attempt
to maintain the fruit at a higher peak of quality during
storage.
Lenin Colleague
Dies Recently
Moscow Grigory Ivano
tich Petrovsky, 81, a colleague
of Lenin and Stalin in the Oc
tober Revolution of 1917, died
recently, according to the of
ficial Soviet news agency.
Petrovsky was purged in
1938 as chairman of the Uk
raine central executive com
mittee and other high posts.
However, he escaped exile
and worked quietly for some
years in the Lenin Museum
in Moscow. He did not return
to public favor until 1953,
when he was decorated for
"services to the state." The
award was seen as an attempt
Production Cut Asked
For Chilean Copper
Santiago, Chile (ID -The
government announced early
Saturday that it has "advised"
the Anaconda and Kennecott
Copper companies to cut their
Chilean production 10 per
cent during 1958.
The production apparently
is designed to bolster the price
of Chilean copper, which has
been slipping on the world
market.
The first aerial photo was
made from a balloon over
Boston in 1860.
to placate much of Russia dis
turbed by the post-Stalin
purges.
79 Cases of Disease
Reported Last Week
A total of 79 cases of com
municable diseases were re
ported to the Jackson county
department of health last
week, according to Dr. A.
Erin Merkel, county health
physician.
Of the total, 42 of them
were influenza, and 10 were
mumps. Thirty flu cases were
reported in Medford, seven in
Ashland and five in Phoenix.
Other cases reported includ
ed two infectious hepatitis;
four scalp ringworm, two
chicken pox, three pink eye,
eight measles, one strep
throat, two scarlet fever, four
pneumonia and one German
measles.
Crises in Foreign
Policy Topic of
Tuesday Meeting
All persons interested in the
informal study of United
States foreign policy have
been invited to a "town hall"
meeting Tuesday, Jan. 14, at
8 p.m. in the new Red Cross
building, 60 Hawthorne ave.
Harold Jaffrey, assistant
manager of the Camp White
domiciliary and chairman of
the Jackson county Great De
cisions . . . 1958 committee,
is in charge.
Charles A. O'Brien, San
Francisco, regional director of
the Foreign Policy association
will discuss "The Crises in
American Foreign Policy To
day." O'Brien, a graduate of Har
vard law school, is chairman
of the west coast committee
of the council on student trav
el, which annually arranges
for students to travel abroad.
He has been active in the Uni
versity of California exten
sion programs on world poli
tics and has lectured on world
affairs at other west coast uni
versities. Great Decision . . . 1958 is
r i
- CHARLES A. O'BRIEN
To Discuss Crises
an eight week nationwide pro
gram beginning Feb. 2 which
will focus attention and pro
vide facts on eight key issues
the U.S. faces in 1958, Jaffrey
explained.
The program invites parti
cipation of every individual
and organization through for
mation of home discussion
groups using Great Decisions
fact sheets which will be avail
able at the Medford public
Mrs. Duncan Named
To Head Program
Mrs. Robert Duncan, Med
ford, has been appointed
Jackson county chairman of
the Arthritis and Rheumatism
foundation's annual statewide
education and membership
program. Mrs. John Branden
burg of Medford was named
cochairman.
The education and member
ship program was proclaimed
by Gov. Robert D. Holmes for
the week of Jan. 20-25. The
appointments were made by
Mrs. Holmes, state member
ship chairman.
Mrs. Duncan Is arranging
a series of coffee hours in the
Jackson county communities,
with local hostesses. They will
be held at 10 a.m. Monday,
Jan 20, at which activities
and purposes of the founda
tion will be explained.
There are 15,000 amateur
radio operators in New York
state. About 4,000 of them are
enrolled in Civil Defense.
library before Feb. 2.
Jaffrey stressed that all In
terested in the Great Deci
sions ... 1958 foreign policy
study will be welcome at
Tuesday night's meeting.
Plan Between SOC,
Civil Defense Set
Ashland Major Gen. J.
H. Hicks has announced a
plan between civil defense
and Southern Oregon college
officials to utilize college fa
cilities for housing, feeding,
sheltering, and hospitaliza
tion for 200 beds in case of
emergency.
The court house will be
come headquarters for civil
defense during emergency
status. x
Other matters discussed at
the. winter term faculty meet
ing concerned institutional
matters such as college accre-
didation procedures, campus
instructional materials and fa
cilities, and the problems
brought about by rapid ex
pansion of the college in
terms of staff, facilities, and
student body.
Hollywood (IP) Funeral
services will be held Satur
day afternoon for Clarence
Irwin Johnson, 78, father of
actress Laraine Day.
Mrs. Dale Schulz plans to
leave Monday by plane for
Rucker, Ala., to join her hus
band who is stationed there.
Eleven ladies from Table
Rock attended the Ladies club
which met at Loree Anhorn's
on Arnold lane Wednesday.
About the usual number of
farmers from this section at
tended the John Deere day at
Hubbard Wray company last
Tuesday, and besides getting
a free lunch get a chance to
warm the seats of the new
farm implements and dream
of being able to purchase one
some day. After lunch all
present went to the Craterian
theater and were entertained
with an interesting movie
somewhat different from past
ones, depicting life on the
farm as it should be, with the
women folks at home and not
working in a packing house or
drug store in trying to make
the farm pay, and the boys
preparing to take over and
run the farm as they should.
The farmer in the seat
ahead of us remarked that it
was a fine show but he
thought they were wasting
their time as the difference
between the price of our pro
ducts and farm implements is
too great to permit any pur
chase. For instance, he said,
it would take 100 tons of hay
at the present price if, and
when we can sell it, to buy
two tons of steel, iron, and a
percentage of scrap iron when
made into a tractor.
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