144 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



understood. It should never be used as a means to overcome diffi- 

 culties arising from improper or rough handling. Used as a means 

 to insure safe shipment after the grower and packer have done their 

 share, precooling is both valuable and legitimate. Used as a means 

 to overcome the effects of rough handling, precooling only retards 

 decay and deterioration for a time, and the troubles develop when 

 the fruit warms up after arrival in the market. (Y. B. 1910.) 



Cold Storage of Small Fruits. Cold storage has not exerted so 

 important an influence upon the development of the small-fruit busi- 

 ness as upon the growing of apples, pears, and other tree fruits. 

 Small fruits are not adapted to keeping for any length of time in 

 cold storage. Most of the small fruits are held in cold storage to pro- 

 tect them from decay, usually not more than two or three days, until 

 they can be placed in the hands of the consumer. 



Nevertheless cold storage is a factor of no small importance in 

 the handling of the small-fruit crop. Shipments of small fruits 

 reaching destination too late for the early morning market are usually 

 placed in cold storage until the following morning. Large quantities 

 of small fruits are stored for two or three days when the markets are 

 glutted and when prospects are good for an advance in prices. Many 

 canneries are equipped with cold storage plants for use in preserving 

 berries and other fruits until they can be utilized. In some sections 

 small farm storage houses are used in connection with the handling 

 of small fruits. Small fruits are sometimes stored in a frozen condi- 

 tion for weeks and even months for use by confectioners, bakers, and 

 restauranteurs. Berries grown to a large size upon low, moist soil usu- 

 ally begin to break down more quickly in cold storage than the same 

 varieties grown to a somewhat smaller size upon light, dry soil. Ber- 

 ries ripening during a period when the supply of moisture is favor- 

 able for a sound, healthy development of fruit keep better than the 

 same varieties stunted by drought or overgrown on account of exces- 

 sive rainfall. Small fruits designed for cold storage should be picked 

 when well matured and fully colored but while still firm. There 

 is no apparent difference in the keeping of small fruits from early, 

 medium, and late pickings. Small fruits must be handled quickly 

 and with great care in the field and on the way to the storage house 

 to prevent ripening, the bruising of the fruit, and the development of 

 mold. If the fruit is to be stored for two or three days, a temperature 

 of 36 to 40 F. will ordinarily give satisfactory results, though a 

 temperature of 32 F. is to be preferred. If the storage period extends 

 over a week or more, a temperature of 30 to 32 F. will be found 

 more effective. When frozen for long keeping, small fruits are 

 usually subjected to a temperature of 5 to 12 F. Frozen strawber- 

 ries to be used in ice cream have been in use in a limited way by con- 

 fectioners for some time, while frozen raspberries, currants, blackber- 

 ries, huckleberries, and other small fruits are now used successfully 

 for pies and other pastries by a few restauranteurs and bakers. 



Strawberries and raspberries were stored in close paper cartons 

 lined with paraffined cardboard. Some of these cartons were made 

 extra tight by the use of a paraffined paper wrap placed over the card- 



