- 5 



Growers know better than the writer how to regulate harvest to in- 

 sure better flavored berries. Picking once a week is usually often 

 enough. Even then, pickers should be cautioned against harvesting ber- 

 I'ies with reddish tinge around the stem. 



»j^ t^ ^* •{« fi* *t* ^i* ^- *^ ^A frt^ ^^ ^^ *j^ 



OBSERVATIONS OF DRY LIME SCRUBBING 



William J„ Lord 

 Department of Plant & Soil Sciences 



Information obtained by the Extension Pomologist indicates that 

 13 CA rooms are being dry-lime scrubbed in Massachusetts during the 

 196M--1965 storage season. In addition numerous growers placed lime in 

 rooms to supplement the caustic, water or dry lime scrubbers. 



As of December 10, the dry lime scrubbers are maintaining the de- 

 sired carbon dioxide level with the exception of 2 rooms at one storage. 

 The difficulty at the storage was corrected by changing the lime. 



Lime in amounts as high as 0.53 pound per bushel of apples was 

 stacked in rooms to supplement the scrubbers. The effectiveness of lime 

 for maintaining carbon dioxide at the desired level varied considerably 

 and was not directly related to the amount used. For example, one room 

 with OcM-7 pound of lime per bushel of apples was caustic scrubbed the 

 11th day after closing. At another storage, 0.29 pound of lime per bush- 

 el of apples held the carbon dioxide below 5oO per cent for 54 days. 



The savings in caustic with the use of lime in the rooms was con- 

 siderable. It appears difficult, however, to predict the effectiveness 

 of a given amount of lime. 



Research indicates that atmospheres of less than 2 per cent carbon 

 dioxide for Mcintosh may be deleterious to the fruit. The time period 

 that carbon dioxide was below 2 per cent varied from 1 to 20 days after 

 closing in the storages using lime as a supplement to scrubbing. Whether 

 or not a 20 day period below 2 per cent carbon dioxide would be deleter- 

 ious to the fruit is not known. Growers that use lime as a supplement to 

 scrubbers might devise some way to restrict air movement around the lime 

 bags. The suspension of a polyethylene sheet over the lime which can be 

 raised or lowered is a possibility. 



It is anticipated that other growers will convert to dry lime scrub- 

 bing next year. The placement of a fan in the lime box is recommended. 

 Some may wish to keep the caustic scrubber connected as an emergency 

 method of scrubbing. 



