Cold Storage of Fruit. 457 



COLD STORAGE OF FRUIT. 



The Experimeni Station Record ior M.a.y , 1903, gives a summary of 

 the results thus far secured in the cold storage experiments conducted by 

 tlie U.S. De{)artment of Agriculture in reviewing the account of them 

 prepared by G. H. Powell. It appears that "in a comparison of tiie 

 keeping quality of apples picked when nearly grown, and still under- 

 colouied, witli larger, more highly coloured, but firm fruit picked two 

 weeks later, it was found that the more mature apples kei)t just as 

 long, were as durable on removal, were superior in quality, and worth 

 more than the fruit picked while still immature. The most striking 

 differences between these two grades of fruits were shown in their 

 relative susceptibility to apple scald, the immature fruits being much 

 more susceptible to this tiouble than the more mature fruits. As a 

 prevention of scald it is recommended that only well-developed, 

 highly coloured fruit be stored, and that this be placed as soon as 

 picked in a temperature not above 32 degs. F., and removed from 

 storage before the scald begins. 



" Like results were obtained with Kieffer pears picked at different 

 degrees of ripeness, the more mature fruit keeping fully as well as the 

 greener fruit if placed quickly after j)icking in a temperatuie not 

 above 32 degs. The best results with peaches were obtained when 

 the fruit was fully developed and highly coloured but still hard 

 when it entered the storage room. Peaches in any way soft were 

 found to break down quickly on removal, while greener fruit was 

 inclined to shrivel. 



"Delay in storage after the fruit was picked injured its keeping 

 quality. When Bartlett pears were delayed fiom two to four days 

 befoi-e being stored they i-ipened within two or three weeks, while 

 fruit stored immediately after picking was finer at the end of five 

 weeks. Kieffer pears stored immediately in a low temperature kept 

 in prime condition until April. When stoi-age was delayed ten days 

 they showed softening and discoloui-ation at the core in about thirty 

 days. Delay in the storage of apples, more particularly the long- 

 keeping sorts, was not found to be so serious as with the other fruits; 

 nevertheless much delay in storage does not in any wise improve the 

 keeping quality, and whenever the climatic or other conditions are such 

 as to hasten the ripening of the fruit delay in storage is harmful. The 

 author considers it much better to leave the fruit on the tree until it 

 can be put in cold storage, rather than to pick and store it in the 

 orchard or cars. 



"Relative to the temperatures at which the various fruits keep 

 best it was found that 32 degs. was better for both apples and pears 

 than any temperature higher than this. Kieffer pears, for instance, 

 stored in a temperature of 32 degs. kept until April, while at 36 deg. 

 they reached their commercial limit in December. Peaches also kept 



