- 8 - 



were as soft, after only 63 days of storage, as were those from the well- 

 controlled room after 113 days of storage. Thus, only a couple degrees 

 increase of the storage temperature shortened the storage life of the 

 apples by S0_ days . 



Table 1. Firmness (lbs. pressure) of ^fcIntosh apples when removed from 

 storage . ______^_ 



Storage 

 temperature (°F.) 



32.4 

 34.5 



When the apples were held at room temperature for 7 and 14 days af- 

 ter removal from storage, the rate of softening continued to show the 

 50-day differential between the 2 rooms (Table 2) . The apples from the 

 warmer room were as soft after 63 days as were those from the colder 

 room after 113 days, after both 7 and 14 days at 70-75 . The quality 

 of the fruits from the 2 rooms was very noticeably different. At every 

 examination, the fruits from the poorly-regulated room were distinctly 

 softer in texture. Also, after storage for 84-113 days, the apples from 

 the poorly-regulated room were yellower than the others. 



Table 2. Firmness (lbs. pressure) of Mcintosh apples held at 70-75°F. 

 after removal from storage. 



Days at 

 70-75°F. 



14 



These results show the absolute necessity of maintaining the storage 

 temperature very near to 32° for Mcintosh apples, if you are to market 

 good fruits out of regular air storage. If your storage is operating 

 only a couple of degrees above 32°, you may be reducing drastically the 

 storage life of Mcintosh apples. 



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