COLD STORAGE OF VEGETABLES 103 



onions, squashes, carrots, beets, turnips, and potatoes can all be 

 carried for a considerable period in ordinary storage without serious 

 deterioration or loss. 



Celery is perhaps the only crop which is more or less handled 

 under refrigeration. Certain types of celery which mature late in 

 the season can be kept for several months in ordinary storage. The 

 celery, however, which reaches our Eastern markets from Florida 

 and California is more perishable than the types which are grown 

 for winter storage in the East. In order that this product may be 

 economically transported from California and Florida to our Eastern 

 markets it is necessary to ship in carload lots either in ventilated 

 cars or under refrigeration. The fact that celery can be success- 

 fully held in cold storage for a considerable period enables dealers 

 in small towns, who cannot quickly dispose of a carload of celery, 

 to handle this product in carload lots ; otherwise the supply of 

 such towns would be furnished by local shipments from distribut- 

 ing points. The cold storage of celery has come to be an impor- 

 tant factor in marketing the autumn crop from many districts. 

 It prevents the crop from being dumped upon the market at 

 one time. Well-grown, disease-free celery, placed in storage im- 

 mediately after harvesting and quickly cooled, will keep three 

 months. The temperature at which celery will keep best and long- 

 est has not been established, but most dealers attempt to maintain 

 the storage chamber in which celery is held between 31 and 

 33 F., with a high degree of humidity. It will thus be seen 

 that cold storage is an important factor in the marketing of this 

 valuable crop. 



Kale and spinach, when well grown and carefully handled, can 

 be successfully held in cold storage, at a temperature of about 

 32 or 33 F., for periods ranging from ten to ninety days. The 

 preservation of these products seems to depend more upon their 

 condition than upon the temperature of storage, provided it is not 

 below 30 nor above 35 F. 



Cabbage can be held in cold storage, but the low value of the 

 crop together with its bulk practically exclude it from this type 

 of storage. The autumn crop, when disease free and carefully 

 handled, can be held much .longer in cold storage than the softer 

 and more perishable product of the early season. 



