542 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



The cold storage of small finiits, H. H. Fulton (V. S. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. 

 Plant Indus. Bui. lOS, tip. 28, pis. S). — Tlie author conducted investigations 

 covering a period of 3 years relative to the factors affecting the keeping 

 of small fruits in cold storage, including the influence of soil and climatic con- 

 ditions, the time of picking, methods of handling, types of packages and 

 wrappers, and the temperatures in the storage house, together with the effect 

 of cold storage on the flavor and aroma of tlie fruit and tlie behavior of the 

 fruit when withdrawn from storage. A number of these problems are to be 

 studied further, and wliile the princiitles evolved from the tests thus far are 

 believed to be correct the present report is regarded as preliminai-y rather 

 than as conclusive and final. Kesults are also given of investigations made by 

 H. C. Gore on the composition of the air in different types of packages and the 

 influence of oxygen gas on the Iveeping quality of small fruits. 



An outline is given of the experiments, the results are discussed in detail 

 and are summarized in substance as follows: Small fruits, unlike most of the 

 tree fruits, are not adapted to Iveeping for any length of time in cold storage, 

 although cold storage is a considerable factor in preserving such fruits for 

 short periods. They are sometimes stored in a frozen condition for weeks and 

 even months for use by confectioners, bakers, and restaurateurs. 



Berries grown upon low, moist soil usually break down more quickly in cold 

 storage than berries of the same varieties grown upon a light, dry soil. Berries 

 keep better when the moisture supply has been adequate for their sound 

 healthy development than the same varieties stunted by drought or subjected 

 to excessive rainfall. Small fruits designed for cold storage should be well 

 matured and fully colored but firm. No ai>parent difference was noted in the 

 keeping qualities of small fruits from early, medium, and late pickings. The 

 fruit must be handled (luickly and carefully in the field and on the way to the 

 storage house to prevent ripening and bruising. With fruit stored for only 2 

 or 3 days, a temi)erature of 36 to 40° F. usually gives satisfactory results, 

 although 32° F. is preferred. For somewhat longer periods a temperature of 

 30 to 32° F. is found more effective. When frozen for long keeping, small 

 fruits are usually subjected to a temperature of 5 to 12° F. 



In one test strawberries and raspberries were stored in close paper cartons 

 lined with paraffined cardboard, in addition to which some of the cartons were 

 wrapped with paraffined paper. Without the extra wrap the cartons preserved 

 the fruit in good sound condition, freer from mold and tainted less by stor- 

 age-house odors than fruit stored in open packages, whereas with the extra 

 wrap they proved too tight and the fruit softened and had the characteristic bad 

 flavor of fruit confined in an atmosphere of carbon dioxid. AVrapping baskets 

 of berries in thin impervious paper aids materially in retaining the bright 

 color and attractive api)earauce of the fruit, prevents the absorption of storage- 

 house odors to a marked degree and retards to some extent the appearance of 

 mold. 



In the test to determine the influence of oxygen gas on the keeping quality 

 of small fruits, several boxes of strawberries were exposed to the usual condi- 

 tions of the open package and several were kept in a large glass bell jar in 

 which the air was displaced with oxygen of 90 to 95 per cent purity and re- 

 newed at intervals of 2 to 4 days throughout the experiment. At the end of 

 16 days the jars were opened and the fruit compared with the exposed boxes. 

 The fruit held in oxygen had a good color and flavor and was free from black 

 mold, but was too soft for marketable purposes. The fruit in the open boxes 

 had a good color but a bad flavor and was badly molded. A similar test was 

 made with rasitberries and as with the strawberries no effect attributable to 

 the presence of oxygen was brought out, the difference between the inclosed 



