SPOILAGE OF CEANBEREIES AFTER HARVEST. 5 



WATER STORAGE. 



Storing cranberries under water is frequently recommended as a 

 means of keeping them for long periods. Berries stored in this way 

 soon die as a result of smothering. They can not, however, wither, 

 nor do they decay, since the growth of rot-producing fungi is pre- 

 vented. Water-stored berries do not have the bitter taste character- 

 istic of most smothered fruit and are therefore suitable for cook- 

 ing if used as soon as removed from the water. Such berries are, 

 of course, unsalable. 



The effect of storing cranberries in tight packages and under 

 water as compared with storage in ventilated packages was shown 

 by a series of tests made at the State experimental cranberry bog, 

 East Wareham, Mass. In one experiment, uniform lots of appar- 

 ently sound berries, of both the Early Black and the Howe varie- 

 ties, were stored dry in closed bottles, under water in bottles, and in 

 ventilated boxes. The results of this test are given in Table II. 



Table II. — Results of storing cranberries under different conditions for 36 



Conditions of storage. 



Number of berries. 



Total. Rotten. Smothered 



Total 



spoiled 



(per 



cent). 



Temperature 3° to 8° C. (37° to 46° F.): 



Underwater, in bottle, 



Inclosed bottle, dry 



In ventilated box 



1,054 

 1,364 







777 

 382 



All. 



None apparent. 







olOO 

 74 



a As explained in the text, these berries were still fit for cooking. 



The results shown in Table II are typical of those obtained in other 

 tests, some of which were carried out at much higher temperatures 

 and with other varieties of cranberries, and have been further sub- 

 stantiated on a commercial scale by shipments in various types of 

 packages and by storage tests. These will be considered later. 



PREVENTION OF SMOTHERING. 



Smothering may be prevented by ventilation. Berries should be 

 stored in ventilated boxes, never in barrels, and the boxes should be 

 so piled as to allow circulation of air through the berries. Cran- 

 berry storehouses should be provided with ventilators, which should 

 be opened whenever cold air can be admitted without danger of 

 freezing. Ventilated packages should be used where practicable. 

 These points are also of importance in the control of fungous dis- 

 eases and are discussed further in that connection. 



