STOEAGE OF CALIFORNIA TABLE GEAPES. 



9 



Table VII gives the results of storage tests made with Almeria and 

 Emperor grapes at 32° and 38° F. during the season of 1909. The 

 superiority of the lower storage temperature for longer holding 

 periods is clearly demonstrated. 



Table VII. — Comparison of storage temperatures for table grapes, showing the 

 number of days the grapes were held at 32° and at 38° F. before 5 per cent, 

 10 per cent, and 15 per cent of deterioration appeared during the season of 

 1909. 





Packing. 



Storage temperatures and percentage of 

 deterioration. 



Variety. 



32° F. 



38° F. 





5 per 

 cent. 



10 per 

 cent. 



15 per 

 cent. 



5 per 

 cent. 



10 per 

 cent. 



15 per 

 cent. 







Days. 

 63 

 90 

 95 

 100 

 102 



Days. 

 75 

 98 

 113 

 114 

 135 



Days. 

 82 

 103 



124 

 122 



152 



Days. 

 29 



68 

 85 

 62 

 86 



Days. 

 40 

 87 

 98 

 90 

 103 



Days. 

 46 



Do 





105 



Do 





105 



Emperor 



do 



103 



Do 



do 



134 









The differences shown in these tables do not tell the whole story. 

 Grapes held at 32° F. were superior in general appearance and 

 quality to those held either in common storage or in cold storage at 

 38°, and from this standpoint alone the lower temperature is desir- 

 able. In the later investigations of the Bureau of Plant Industry 

 32° F. was adopted as the standard and was used exclusively. 



PREPARATION OF THE REDWOOD SAWDUST FILLER. 



The redwood sawdust used in the first experiments was obtained 

 from planing mills and consequently was made from dry lumber. 

 The material was fine and contained a large proportion of dust and 

 slivers. (PL II, fig. 1.) While the grapes held in excellent condition 

 in this grade of sawdust, the fine particles and slivers clung tena- 

 ciously to the berries and the material packed so tightly in the 

 interior of *the bunches that it could only be dislodged with great 

 difficulty. The fine particles became entangled with the dried per- 

 sistent stamens around the pedicels of the berries and it was almost 

 impossible to dislodge them completely even with a strong air blast. 

 The market appearance of the fruit was greatly marred by the 

 presence of these particles, and it became evident that they would 

 have to be eliminated if the grapes were to be commercially accept- 

 able. In the later experiments, therefore, the sawdust was sifted and 

 only the larger particles were used. The appearance of the cleaned 

 redwood sawdust resembles to some extent that of the cork used by 

 the Spanish packers. (PL III, figs. 1 and 2.) It was found that the 



11971°— Bull. 35—13 2 



