3258 



STORAGE 



STORAGE 



age. California-grown Emperor and Almeria grapes 

 are packed in redwood sawdust and are successfully 

 held in cold storage, the former until the middle of 

 January, and the latter several months later. 



Differences of one to three months in the storage 

 qualities of the same varieties of apples have been 

 found to be due to the place of production. Mention 

 has already been made of the storage weakness of the 

 Yellow Newtown and other varieties grown in the 

 Central Pacific coast district of California. The same 

 varieties grown in the Pacific Northwest and in Virginia 

 and other sections of the country are free from this 

 particular weakness. 



The care of the orchard and method of culture given 

 the trees have been found to be important factors. 

 The character of tillage, pruning, age of trees or vines 

 are also considerations, especially when taken in con- 

 nection with different climatic conditions. The fruit 

 from young trees or vines has weak storage qualities' it 

 is usually large, coarse, sappy, and cannot be held in 

 storage nearly so long as fruit of the same variety from 

 older and more mature trees. Dense-headed trees 

 produce fruit of poor color; the green, poorly colored 

 apples produced under such conditions do not have 

 high storage quality. Such fruit is very susceptible 

 to the trouble known as storage-scald; the loss from this 

 source may be avoided and the storage quality of the 

 fruit may be much unproved by better orchard meth- 

 ods. Pruning to open up the crowns of the trees will 

 improve light conditions, especially where intense sun- 

 light does not naturally prevail. Some growers actu- 

 ally cut away the leaves of the vines to allow light to 

 color and mature the grapes to better advantage. In 

 sections such as the arid regions of the Pacific coast, 

 where intense light conditions prevail, the opening-up 

 of the tree crowns must be done with greater care. It 

 is not necessary to open up the trees to such an extent 

 as is necessary where intense light is not naturally 

 available. 



Late growth also affects the storage qualities, as it 

 prevents the proper maturing of the fruit. In irrigated 

 districts, the late application of water may stimulate 

 the growth while the fruit is maturing and this may 

 result in sappy poorly colored fruit of low storage 

 quality. The question is often asked whether the fruit 

 produced in irrigated districts has as good storage 

 qualities as that from non-irrigated districts. The 

 impression seems to prevail that it does not. This is 

 erroneous, as has been shown by extensive investiga- 

 tions. It is manifestly impossible to compare directly 

 fruit grown under irrigation in one district with fruit 

 grown without it in another. The varieties are different 

 and other factors may operate to change conditions in 

 the one case or the other. There are thousands of 

 boxes of irrigated fruits held in the best possible con- 

 dition in storage, and this would seem to be a direct 

 answer to the question of the keeping qualities of 

 fruits grown under irrigation. It is necessary, of course, 

 to haye the irrigation properly applied; if overdone by 

 applying large quantities of water late in the year in 

 order to induce large sappy growth, the results are 

 fruits of poor storage qualities. 



In sections which have dry summers, where tillage 

 is depended on to conserve the moisture, the work 

 must be thoroughly and properly done; otherwise, 

 the moisture supply in the soil will be deficient, and the 

 trees or vines will be under stress on account of the 

 lack of sufficient moisture. Fruit produced under such 

 conditions has very low storage quality. Any con- 

 dition of soil, climate, and orchard treatment which 

 results in the production of abnormal fruits may be 

 important governing factors in their behavior in stor- 

 age. Spraying for the control of insects and diseases 

 is important from the storage standpoint. It is neces- 

 sary that this work be thoroughly and properly done, 

 as insect and disease injuries render the fruit liable to 



deterioration. The insect or disease may be of itself 

 the cause of the decay or deterioration. There is also 

 an indirect effect: when the trees are weakened by the 

 effect of insects and diseases, the results may be weak 

 fruit of poor storage quality. 



Seasons affect the quality as well as the quantity of 

 the crop. In seasons of unusual drought, for example, 

 the fruit may be so weakened that its storage qualities 

 may be seriously impaired. On the other hand, unusu- 

 ally wet seasons result in the production of sappy fruits 

 which deteriorate rapidly. In seasons of unusual 

 drought, the orchards under irrigation have a distinct 

 advantage, provided the application of the water is 

 properly adjusted. The effect of frost may be beneficial 

 or otherwise : A crop may be thinned to such an extent 

 that its condition may be somewhat improved since 

 over-production by the tree may result in weak fruit, 

 while the thinning will improve this condition. On 

 the other hand, where the frost is sufficient to destroy 

 vnost of the crop, the remaining fruits may be sappy 

 and overgrown and otherwise weak. The frost-injured 

 fruits themselves have not as high storage qualities. 

 During an unfavorable season, fruit which has been 

 placed in storage must be carefully watched throughout 

 the entire storage period. Its condition should deter- 

 mine the length of time it is held. The effect of storage 

 is such that attempts to hold the fruit beyond its nor- 

 mal life period result in serious losses. Fruit of low 

 vitality, when the limit of its life is reached, will 

 deteriorate very rapidly after withdrawal from cold 

 storage. It is important, therefore, not to wait until 

 the fruit is ready to break down before withdrawal. 



Fully matured well-colored fruit keeps best and 

 longest. Early notions that fruit for storage should be 



Eicked in an immature condition are erroneous. The 

 uits which are picked before full maturity have low 

 storage qualities. There is serious deterioration from 

 shriveling and, in case of apples, there is a definite 

 relationship between the occurrence of scald and the 

 state of maturity at which the fruit is picked. This 

 disease is a peculiar browning or scalding of the skin of 

 the fruit. It does not extend into the flesh except 

 under very severe conditions. Immature fruit is seri- 

 ously affected while fully mature fruit of the same 

 variety may be held without deterioration from this 

 cause. 



Full maturity means that the "ground color" is 

 plainly developed, the flesh of the fruit firm, and the 

 seeds fully grown and colored. This principle is cor- 

 rect for all fruits with the possible exception of most 

 varieties of pears and lemons. Over-ripeness must be 

 avoided. A designation of the proper stage of matu- 

 rity for picking fruits is difficult; it must be learned 

 by actual experience. Over-ripeness or over-maturity 

 occurs when the fruit begins to soften. In some in- 

 stances, growers are in the habit of allowing the crop to 

 remain on the trees until all the fruits are fully colored. 

 This is a wrong practice, as some fruits mature before 

 others, and if allowed to remain until all are colored, 

 may become over-ripe or over-mature. It is best to 

 make more than one picking, especially with the 

 earlier ripening varieties. Fruits on the outer branches 

 exposed to full light ripen first and the best results in 

 storage are obtained when these are held separately, 

 unless the trees are well and properly pruned. 



Reference has been made to the importance of cool- 

 ing the fruits promptly and rapidly, in connection with 

 the ripening processes and lif e activities and the effects 

 of temperature on these factors. Delay in storage, which 

 means delay in cooling, during warm weather may 

 shorten the storage period from one-third to one-half. 

 Experiments with apples held at a comparatively high 

 temperature for a period of ten days or two weeks 

 before cooling, showed that fruit thus treated could 

 be held only from one-third to one-half as long as the 

 same varieties promptly stored and cooled after pick- 



