(7
Progress Report Series No. 49
June 1951
AGRICULTURAL 
EXPERIMENT STATION
of The Alabama Polytechnic 
Institute, Auburn, Ala.
*. . . . * E. V. SMITH, Director . .
.
COMPARISON of WEIGHT LOSSES and DEFECTS in EARLY IRISH POTATOES
SHIPPED by VAN and OPEN TRUCK, and VALUE of WATER
CHLORINATION 
in PREVENTING DECAY
1
MORRIS 
WHITE, 
2
AssociateAgricultural Economist
Nearly half of the early Irish potatoes 
shipped
from Baldwin County, Alabama, during the 
1950
season were transported by trucks usually with-
out refrigeration and frequently by open-bodied
trucks.
The open truck is preferred by some shippers
in the area because they believe that less decay
develops in open-truck shipment than in vans.
The load is more likely to be refused by the re-
ceiver if there is a small amount of decay than
if the potatoes are somewhat damaged en route
by "burning" through excessive drying.
A series of tests was made of shipments
from Baldwin County, Alabama, to Chicago, Illi-
nois, during the 1950 season to determine (1)
whether more decav develops in vans than in
open trucks, and (2) whether rain en route ad-
versely affects the keeping quality of potatoes
shipped by open truck.
The potatoes produced in this area are wash-
ed but are not dried before being packed in 100-
pound burlap bags. The main variety grown is
Red Bliss, while Sebago makes up the bulk of
the remainder of the crop.
Three shipping tests involving seven trucks
containing test lots were sent from Summerdale,
Alabama, to Chicago, Illinois, between May 8
and 15, 1950.
When actual loading began, two samples of
approximately 25 pounds each were collected,
properly marked for identification, and set aside
for examination to determine the conditions of
potatoes when loaded at the shipping point.
While these 
samples were 
being collected, 
sev-
eral bags were labeled so that they could be
positively identified as "test bags." These
test bags were weighed at the terminal market
to determine weight loss in transit and were
examined to determine how well the potatoes
withstood shipment. The test bags were placed
in four positions in each truck. These positions
were in the top and bottom layers of the front
stack (stack 1), and in the top and middle layers
about half way back in the truck (stack 5 or 6).
The bags were laid flat and lengthwise in the
trucks. It was not always possible to place a
test bag in the bottom layer, stack 1 position.
Ryan recording thermometers were placed
in five of the trucks in the middle layer of stack
5 or 6 (about center of the load). Also, a hygro-
thermograph capable of recording temperature
and relative humidity for 30 hours was attached
to the outside of one of the trucks in the second
and third tests. Since trucks are ordinarily en
route about 30 to 36 hours between Summerdale
and Chicago, the records from these instruments
covered most of the transit period. In addition
to these records, some of the truck drivers sup-
plied additional notes on rainfall or other inci-
dents en route.
Two 25-pound samples were taken from each
test bag upon its recovery at the terminal mar-
ket. One sample was used to record the condi-
tion of potatoes upon arrival. The second sample
was held for a period of 7 days and then ex-
amined. This 7-day period was assumed to be
The research on which this report is based was
financed in part by funds provided by the Research
and Marketing Act of 1946.
This study was done as part of the Southern Re-
gional Project on "Spoilage in Marketing Early
Irish Potatoes." The Department of Agricultural
Economics, Alabama Agricultural Experiment Sta-
tion, and the Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils, and
Agricultural Engineering, U.S.D.A., had joint re-
sponsibility for this project.
L. J. Kushman, Associate Physiologist, B.P.I.S.
A.E., had a major part in carrying out the project
and contributed much to this report. G. B. Ramsey
and M. A. Smith, Pathologists, B.P.I.S.A.E., had
* charge of inspecting test lots and making reports
on the condition of potatoes at Chicago. The author
assumes responsibility for all statements made in
this report.
representative of time lapse between unloading
at terminal markets and final sale of potatoes
in retail stores.
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUCKS USED
The van used in the first and third test was
equipped with the usual type bunker and bunker
openings. These openings, about 14 by 16 inches
in size, were aligned so that air was not ob-
structed or diverted in moving into the van. There
was a grilled vent at the bottom of the bunker
on the inside bunker wall. This was 6 inches
high and extended completely across the van.
In the back of the van, there were two vents of
about the same size and height from the floor as
the front vents. This van had 1Y2 to 2 inches of
insulation in the walls and ceiling, and had
shallow slatted floor racks that provided about
1/2 inches of air space between the floor and
the racks. It was equipped with a blower that
was in operation during the time the load was
in the van; all vents were left open.
The van used in the second test had insula-
tion and floor racks similar to the van just de-
scribed. In addition, it was equipped with a
refrigeration unit All vents were cosed while
in transit and the thermostat was set at 550 F.
The open trucks were entirely open across
the front and top. The solid sides were 
about 3
or 4 feet high and the rear was closed with a
solid tail gate. Open trucks were equipped with
tarpaulins and the drivers were usually instructed
to use the tarpaulins only when it was apparent
that they would be traveling through rain for any
length of time.
DESCRIPTION OF INDIVIDUAL SHIPMENTS
Conventional Van vs. Open Truck
The first test consisted of a conventional-
type ventilated van and an open truck. Potatoes
carried in these trucks were dug from the same
field in the morning, and graded and loaded at
the same time in the afternoon. Test bags for
both the van and open truck were fille with
potatoes taken from the same field load and
were of the Red Bliss variety. The van carried
310 bags stacked flat and lengthwise of the
truck, while the open truck carried 300 bags
stacked similarly. A Ryan recording thermometer
was placed near the center of each load. Both
trucks left the shipping point late in the after-
noon of May 9, the van leaving 1 hour and 15
minutes ahead of the open truck.
Weather forecasts indicated that these trucks
would very likely encounter rain during a con-
siderable portion of tPe trip, and it was hoped
that the trucks of this test could be used to
help establish whether rain en route favored
decay in potatoes carried on open trucks. How-
ever, this did not materialize since the trucks
were in rain for only a short while early in the
transit period.
Both trucks arrived at Chicago on May 11.
The potatoes in the van were described as being
in very good condition, 
with slight feathering,
skin generally fairly well set, and moderate
bruising and slight discoloration. The decay
present followed injuries. Inspection of the po-
tatoes in the open truck indicated that some
tubers were getting flabby. The sample taken
from the open truck and examined a week later
showed rather severe browning and withering.
The inspection report showed that decay fol-
lowed injuries, and that the potatoes transported
in the open truck were not in as good condition
as were those transported 
in the van.
4
Lss in weight between the shipping point
and destination was approximately 3 per cent
more for the potatoes shipped by open truck,
Table 1.
The location of the test bags in the van made
little difference in the percentage of weight loss
en route. On the open truck, the test bags on
the top lost 6 per cent in weight en route, while
the test bag in the center of the load lost only
3 per cent.
The quality of potatoes in each of these
loads was good, and the potatoes were moved
to market in a minimum of time. Soft rot
5 
and
browning
6 
were the only defects recorded.
Although the data in Table 1 indicate a
small amount of decay in both loads upon arrival,
there was slightly more in the potatoes hauled
by the van. Browning was more severe in the
potatoes hauled by the open truck.
3
This van was equipped with a Thermo-King re-
frigeration unit having a capacity of approximately
15,000 BTU/hr. at 70 F.
4
Descriptions of the condition of potatoes upon arri-
val at the terminal market are those of representa-
tives of the B.P.I.S.A.E. who recovered the test bags.
5
Bacterial soft rot developing in injuries constituted
all of the decay in this test.
6
Browning is the superficial discoloration of skinned
areas of the potatoes.
(2)
TABLE I. COMPARISON of WEIGHT LOSS 
and DEFECTS in SAMPLES of POTATOES
SHIPPED by CONVENTIONAL VAN and by OPEN 
TRUCK from SUMMERDALE,
ALABAMA, to CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, MAY9, 1950
POTATOES AFFECTED BY:
BROWNING
1ST IN. 2ND IN-
SPECTION SPECTION
Per cent Per cent Per 
cent Per cent
CONVENTIONAL VAN
Topfront..........
Bottom front.........
Top center ..........
Middle center.........
OPEN TRUCK
Top front...........
Bottom front .........
Top center ..........
Middle center........
1.6
.8
4.0
1.2
.0
2.0
.0
.8
2.0
6.0
4.0
5.2
2.0
4.0
2.6
4.0
12.0
2.4
8.0
.0
Per cent
12.8
10.4
1.2
8.0
44.0
18.0
23.2
10.0
Refrigerated Van vs. Open Truck
The second test consisted of a 
refrigerated
van and an open truck. Potatoes 
shipped in the
refrigerated van were dug and graded 
on the day
revious to shipment, and were held 
in the pack-
ing shed until they were loaded. 
Potatoes carried
on the open truck were dug and graded 
the same
day they were shipped. A comparison 
of the
samples of potatoes going into the 
test bags for
these two loads indicated that the 
potatoes on
the open truck were in better condition 
than
were those in the van, Table 2.
Loading of the refrigerated truck took 
place
earlier in the afternoon than did loading 
of the
open truck. The temperature at 
loading time was
820 F. for the van and 780 F. for the 
open truck.
The van carried 275 bags stacked 
solid, and
shipping instructions called 
for setting the ther-
mostat in the truck at 550 
F. The open truck
carried 240 bags stacked 
solid. A Ryan ther-
mometer was placed near 
the center of each load.
The inspection report 
upon arrival at Chicago
stated that potatoes in 
the van were in good
condition, while those 
on the open truck were
rather withered and brown 
with severe scald
spots. Data for test bags 
from these two loads
are given in Table 3.
Data in Table 3 show more 
decay in the po-
tatoes transported by van, 
while potatoes trans-
ported by open truck were 
affected to a greater
extent by scald and browning. 
All defects de-
veloped more rapidly 
in potatoes transported
by open truck during the 
1-week holding period
after arrival at the terminal 
market.
TABLE 2. SCORED DEFECTS and PERCENTAGES of POTATOES AFFECTED in SAMPLES TAKEN
from TEST LOTS SHIPPED by REFRIGERATED 
VAN and OPEN TRUCK from
SUMMERDALE, ALABAMA, to CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 
MAY 12, 1950
MINOR MAJOR 
SOFT STICKY
TYPE OF TRUCK SKINNING CUTS & CUTS & DAMAGE SCALD ROT SCALD
BRUISES BRUISES
Pect. Pct. Pct. Pct. 
Pct. Pct. Pct.
Refrigerated van ...... .. 5-10 
15.6 4.0 .0 20.0 
4.0 3.2
Open truck ............ 5-10 
13.2 1.7 2.6 6.0 
.0 .0
rrr
A r r
Temperature recordings en route showed that
potatoes in the open truck remained approximate-
100 F. cooler than did those in the van, indicat-
ing that the refrigerating 
capacity of the truck-
mounted unit was not 
equal to the cooling capaci-
ty of the open truck 
used in this test.
Conventional Van vs. Trucks
with and without Tarpaulin
The third test consisted of a 
conventional
van and two open trucks, 
one with the tarpaulin
off for about two-thirds of the trip and the other
with the tarpaulin on 
during the entire trip.
Potatoes carried in all three trucks were dug
and graded on the day they 
were shipped. Test
bags placed in the van were 
filled with potatoes
from one field load, while 
those placed on both
open trucks were filled from another field 
load.
The examination of samples taken 
at the ship-
ping point revealed that potatoes in the 
van had
slight y higher percentages of cuts, 
bruises, and
scald than did potatoes on the 
open trucks,
Table 4. The van was loaded 
between 3:00 and
5:00 p.m. at a loading temperature of 
800 F.
The load consisted of 290 bags 
stacked solid.
This van left the shipping point at 
6:00 p.m.
Both open trucks were loaded between 
6:00
and 9:30 p.m. Rain fell during 
the time these
trucks were being loaded, and the 
temperature
dropped from 760 F. to 730 F. The 
open truck
that was to travel with the tarpaulin 
off as much
as possible was first to leave the shipping
point, carrying a 320-bag load. The other open
truck carried a 289-bag load. Both loads were
stacked solid.
The van and the first open truck to leave the
shipping point arrived at the terminal market in
2 days. The second open truck arrived late, and
the load was resold. Test bags in this truck
were recovered 4 days after the truck left the
shipping point.
Upon initial inspection at the terminal mar-
ket, potatoes in the van were reported as being
firm. Those in the first open truck were some-
what withered and a little damp, whereas those
in the second open truck arrived in very bad
condition due to severe browning, sticky scald
spots, and withering. The otatoes in this load
were of little or no value. Results of 
an inspec-
tion of the potatoes in these three shipments
are summarized in Table 5.
The data indicate that loss in weight en
route was greater for potatoes transported by
open truck. The test bag in the center of the
van load developed some decay, while the test
bag in the top center position on the truck using
the tarpaulin developed more. Part of this could
have been due to the delay in recovering the test
bags on this truck. A higher percentage of the
7
Scald spots may be described as sunken, discolored
spots at skinned places on potatoes.
TABLE 3. COMPARISON of WEIGHT LOSS and DEFECTS in SAMPLES of POTATOES
SHIPPED by REFRIGERATED VAN and by OPEN TRUCK from SUMMERDALE,
ALABAMA, to CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, MAY 12, 1950
LOSS IN PERCENTAGE OF POTATOES AFFECTED 
BY:
WEI GHTW T DECAY 
SCALD BROWN 
ING
LOCATION IN LOAD EN 
I
ROUTE 1ST IN. 2ND IN. 1ST IN- 2ND 
IN- 1ST IN- 2ND IN-
SPECT. SP ECT. SPECT. SPECT. SPECT. 
SPECT.
Pect. Pect. Pct. Pet. Pet. Pct. 
Pect.
REFRIGERATED VAN
Top front .......... ..0 2 2.0 
2.0 2.4 2.0 2.4 19.2
Top center ......... I. 1 .0 
3.2 .8 .8 1.6 21.6
-Middle center........ 2 4.8 
6.0 0 4 4.4 2.0 32.8
OPEN TRUCK
Top front .......... .6 .0 
6.0 12.0 10.4 2.0 24.4
Top center ......... ... 7 .8 
2.8 24.0 12.0 2.8 32.0
Middle center. ...... .. 4 1.2 
5.6 .0 5.2 8.0 43.2
(4)
TABLE 4. SCORED DEFECTS and PERCENTAGES of POTATOES AFFECTED in SAMPLES TAKEN
from TEST LOTS SHIPPED by VAN and OPEN TRUCKS from SUMMERDALE,
ALABAMA, to CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, MAY 15, 1950
MINOR MAJOR GRASS DEEP
TYPE OF TRUCK SKINNING CUTS & CUTS & DAM PITTED SCALD
BRUISESRRUISES 
AGE SCAR
Pct. Pct. Pct. Pct. Pct. Pct. P ct. Pct. Pct.
Conventional van .... . 15-20 17.7 3.0 .0 .0 13.8 .0 .0 .0
Open trucks ........... 5-10 11.0 1.0 1.0 .0 11.5 .0 .0 .0
TABLE 5. COMPARISON of WEIGHT LOSS 
and DEFECTS in SAMPLES of POTATOES SHIPPED
by CONVENTIONAL VAN and by OPEN TRUCKS 
from SUMMERDALE, ALABAMA, to
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, MAY 15, 
1950
LOSS IN PERCENTAGE OF POTATOES AFFECTED BY:
TEST
WE I GH T
BAG LOCATION IN LOAD DECAY STICKY SCALD BROWNING
EN
NO.
ROUTE IST IN- 2ND IN- 1ST IN- 2ND IN- 1ST IN- 2ND IN.
SP ECT. SP ECT. SP ECT. SP ECT. SP ECT. SP ECT.
Pct. Pct. Pct. Pct. Pct. Pct. Pct.
CONVENTIONAL VAN
1 Top front ......... .. 3 .0 4.0 5.6 6.0 1.2 12.0
2 Top center ........ .. 2 .0 4.8 4.0 8.0 .8 8.0
3 Middle center....... 5 1.2 10.4 2.0 10.4 .0 9.2
OPEN TRUCK
(no tarpaulin)
1 Bottom front ....... .. 7 .0 58.0 1.6 20.8 22.0 4.8
2 Top front ......... .. 9 .0 44.0 12.0 48.8 64.0 .0
3 Top center ........ .. 4 .0 4.8 1.2 15.6 32.0 8.0
4 Middle center. ' ...... 2 .0 1.6 .8 3.2 .0 3.2
OPEN TRUCK
(with tarpaulin)
1 Bottom front ....... .. 9 .0 20.0 4.0 32.8 25.6 10.0
2 Top front ......... .. 10 .0 34.4 10.4 30.4 43.2 9.6
3 Top center ........ .. 12 4.0 45.2 6.0 35.2 82.0 12.8
4 Middle center ...... 6 .0 4.4 20.0 26.0 42.0 15.2
potatoes transported by open truck were affected
y sticky scald and browning.
At the second inspection, potatoes shipped
by van were mostly fairly firm to firm. The decay
present mostly followed injuries. Potatoes in
Test Bags 1 and 2 of the first open 
truck were
very flabby, withered, sticky, and moldy. Pota-
toes in Bags 3 and 4 were fairly firm to firm, and
in fair to good condition. In potatoes of the
second open truck, much of the browning became
decay.
SUMMARY
The volume of early Irish potatoes transported
to market by motor vehicles from the Southeastern
States has increased rapidly since 1946. Approx-
imately 50 per cent of the 1950 Alabama crop was
transported in this manner.
From areas where potatoes were washed
and shipped without being dried, there was no
available information as to the type of truck
that should be used to insure getting potatoes
(5)
to distant markets in the best possible condition.
By far the most important types of trucks now in
use are open trucks that make limited use of tar-
paulins and ventilated vans. To test the com-
parative merits of these trucks, a series of con-
trolled shipments was made between Summerdale,
Alabama, and Chicago, Illinois, during the 1950
season. The procedure was to select a truck of
each type that would be en route to a market at
the same time, place comparable test lots on
these trucks, and secure samples from these
test lots to determine the extent to which certain
defects developed. Also, to check the loss in
weight, test bags were weighed when loaded and
again upon arrival at the terminal market.
Temperatures and humidities taken in con-
nection with these shipping tests were recorded.
This record indicates that the temperature in the
vans was quite similar and that the temperature
TABLE 6. AVERAGE CONDITION of POTATOES on ARRIVAL in CHICAGO and after HOLDING
ONE WEEK in CHICAGO when SHIPPED from SUMMERDALE, ALABAMA, by
VAN and OPEN TRUCK, MAY 1950
(A - Average condition of test bags by tests)
CONDITION ON ARRIVAL
SCALD
DECAY BROWNING
SPOTS
P ct. P ct. Pct.
1 Van
Open truck
2 Van
Open truck
3 Van
Open truck 
2
Open truck
2.0
.7
2.3
.7
.4
.0
1.0
.4
.3
2.4
12.0
(3.3)I
3.9
9.5
.0
5.6
2.0
4.3
.7
29.2
48.2
CONDITION AFTER 1 WEEK
SCALD
DECAY BROWN I NG
SPOTS
P ct. P ct. P ct.
4.3
3.1
3.7
4.8
6.4
27.1
26.0
.0
.0
8.1
23.8
2.4 24.5
9.2 33.2
8.1
22.4
31.1
9.7
4.0
11.9
(B-Average condition of test bags by position)
P ct. Pct. Pct. Pct. P t. P ct.
Stack 1,
bottom layer Van ---- ---- --
Open truck .7 1.9 16.7 27.3 17.9 10.9
top layer Van 1.2 2.6 1.2 2.6 
2.6 14.6
Open truck .0 8.9 30.6 21.6 22.4 19.5
middle layer Van 2.4 (2.0) .6 7.249 16
Open truck .5 52 16.5 3.9 8.6 17.9
Stack 5 or 6,
top layer Van 1.3 2.1 .8 4.0 2.9 10.2
Open truck 1.2 7.8 31.2 13.8 15.7 19.0
I/Estimated from other data.
2/Tarpaulin l eft off as much as possible.
3/Tarpaul in kept on for enti re trip.
4/Insufficient data.
(6)
1(
,,
fell gradually in each case. The temperature of
the potatoes in the open trucks fluctuated more
with air temperature changes. lJowever, it should
be noted that although the temperature in the
open trucks dropped readily with air temperature
it warmed up but little as the air temperature
rose. This may be due in part to the rather large
moisture losses experienced by potatoes on open
trucks. The differences recorded for commodity
temperatures shipped by van or open truck would
appear to be a reflection of a difference in evapo-
ration as well as in ventilation.
Concerning the difference in weight loss be-
tween potatoes shipped by van and open truck,
the data show that in each of the four positions
in which test bags were placed they lost more
weight on the open trucks than did comparable
bags in the vans.
The top layer bags on the open trucks lost
over three times as much weight as did top layer
bags in the vans. Bags in the center of the loads
on the open trucks lost only twice as much as
did bags in this position in vans. In the van
loads, the bags in stack 1 (top and bottom layers)
lost a little more weight than did those farther
back in the van because they were located im-
mediately behind ventilators. On the open 
trucks,
however, the bags in stack 1 and also the top
layer bag in stack 5 or 6 lost nearly double the
amount lost by the bags in the center of the load.
This, of course, is related to greater air circula-
tion. Leaving the tarpaulin on the load over the
entire trip seemed to cause considerable air to
be channeled through the load, thus increasing
the weight loss in the middle of the load at stack
6. Removal of the tarpaulin for most of the trip
allowed the air blast to be dissipated somewhat
after hitting the bags in stack 1. This appears to
be the only explanation of nearly equal weight
losses in stack 1 but quite different losses in
stack 6.
The scored defects found in samples on arri-
val and after holding 1 week under "room" con-
ditions have been summarized in Table 6 as
average conditions of test bags by tests (A), and
by position in the trucks (B).
As expected from the weight loss records,
test bags from the open trucks contained the
greatest amounts of scald spots and browning.
While this type of injury is not often conspicuous
immediately after the period of desiccation, it is
very obvious after being held 1 week following
arrival at destination. By this time a large part
of the scalded potatoes had developed decay and
most of the scald spots were sticky. Browning
and scald spots were most prevalent on potatoes
from the open trucks of Test 3 and least notice-
able in potatoes from the van of Test 1.
While potatoes on open trucks consistently
lost more weight, they were affected to a greater
degree by browning and scald spots, but they
arrived in the terminal market with less decay
than did potatoes in the vans. The smaller quan-
tities of decay found in potatoes on the open
trucks upon arrival were robably due to lower
temperatures and greater yin en route. There
was no obvious difference in the development of
decay after holding 1 week, except for the de-
velopment of large amounts of decay in the badly
scalded potatoes from the open truck of Test 3,
and more decay in potatoes from the middle layer
of stacks 5 and 6 from the vans. This middle lay-
er, stack 5 or 6 position, represents the bulk of
the load, however, and makes it appear probable
that more decay develops in van loads than in
open trucks.
CONCLUSIONS
The data from this series of tests indicate
that vans do not generally provide enough venti-
lation to have as low a temperature en route as
do open trucks; open trucks, on the other hand,
appear to provide too much ventilation. It may
be desirable to use a cattle or similarly slatted
truck to protect the front of the load against di-
rect air blasts. If this is done, it may be desir-
able to open the load to a 5-3-2 stack, one simi-
lar to the method used in rail loads.
Shippers and receivers alike are more con-
cerned over decay than over injury by desicca-
tion. At present, bags loaded on open trucks
are often a pound or two heavier than bags loaded
in railroad cars because of the expected greater
weight loss en route. Under present methods of
handling, this loss is taken by the grower. He
is paid on the basis of the number of bags graded
out of his load whether the scales in the packing
house are set for 100, 102, or 104 pounds.
DECCO 
TEST
8
In an attempt to keep down bacterial soft rot,
the most prevalent kind of decay that develops
in shiment of early Irish potatoes, several ship-
8
Initially, a check on the flecco treatment of pota-
toes was not a part of the study in Alabama. How-
ever, when it was found that this could he done
without hindrance to the proposed work and that
shippers in the area were interested in the merits
of the treatment, the tests described here were
made.
(7)
pers tried the Decco process
9 
of water chlorina-
tion during the 1950 season. Since this process
was previously tried in both Dade County, Flori-
da, and in Currituck, North Carolina, and the
tests in those areas were largely inconclusive,
there was considerable interest among Alabama
shippers as to the merits of the rocess. Accord
ingly, several tests were conducted with rail
shipments from Alabama in 1950 to determine
whether the Decco process aided in reducing the
development of decay in transit. The cost of the
process was about $6 per carload of 300 100-
pound bags.
Five cars containing Decco-treated and un-
treated potatoes were followed in 1950 from
Foley, Alabama, to various destinations.
The Decco-treating process was tested by
washing with pressure spray and brushes one-
half of a field truck load of potatoes with treated
water while the other half was washed with plain
water. The application of the Decco material oc-
curred only while the treated potatoes were being
washed.
The treated and untreated bags of potatoes
from the field truck load were placed in opposite
ends of a railroad car. Three test bags of each
were labeled and placed in comparable positions,
one in the top layer, one in the middle, and the
other in the bottom layer of the 5-3-2 load. The
cars were then filled with Decco-treated pota-
toes, and were sent to Montgomery, Alabama,
with the vents open. At Montgomery, the cars
were iced; some cars were re-iced once en route
(Rule 240 or 258). No temperature or humidity
records were taken for the Decco tests. The only
objective was to determine whether the treatment
reduced decay when it developed in the compar-
able untreated test bags in the car. Results of
these tests are shown in Table 7.
The Decco process of water chlorination at
the rate of about 80 to 90 p.p.m. of active chlo-
rine did not reduce decay in transit when a pplied
in the wash water of potatoes shipped from Foley,
Alabama, during the 1950 season.
9
The Decco treatment as applied to potatoes is sim-
ply the addition of chlorine compounds to the water
in which potatoes are washed. The concentration
of active chlorine in the wash water is about 80 to
90 p.p.m., according to tests 
made by representa-
tives of the company controlling the treatments.
TABLE 7. THE AVERAGE AMOUNT of DECAY in DECCO-TREATED and UNTREATED TEST
BAGS in FIVE CARS SH IPPED from FOLEY, ALABAMA, MAY 1950
NO. 
DECAY AFTER HOLDING
NO. DAYS DESTINATION DECAY ON ARRIVAL 
WEEK
TEST EN 
CHECK DECCO CHECK 
DECCO
BAGS ROUTE
Per cent Per cent Per cent Per cent
3 7 Chicago, Illinois 0.7 1.1 2.6 2.5
3 4 Chicago, Illinois 1.8 1.8 2.8 1.6
3 3 St. Louis, Missouri 
.0 .0
3 9 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
.6 .6 ........
3 6 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
.0 .0' ...
'Decco-treated material brighter than untreated material.
(8)