26 



CIRCULAR 2 78, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



faetorily in warehouse storage during the winter, but that portion to 

 be held over summer should be stored at 32° before warm weather. 

 Brazil nuts should be carefully inspected before being accepted for 

 storage to see that they are well dried out or cured. Walnuts, filberts, 

 and almonds usually need not be stored below 40° to 45°. Chestnuts 

 are rarely held in any other way than in cold storage at 32° to 40°. 



Shelled and unshelled peanuts can be held at common warehouse 

 temperature during the winter, but during spring and summer shelled 

 peanuts should be kept in cold storage both for protection against 

 insects and to prevent development of rancidity. If cold storage is 

 not available, common storage can be used, but the peanuts should be 

 stored in the shell, and shelled out as needed, because if stored shelled 

 they are likely to darken and become rancid. In common storage care 

 should be taken to prevent infestation by insects. Fumigation is de- 

 sirable for both shelled and unshelled peanuts if they are to be held 

 in common storage during the summer for any considerable time. 

 , As ail varieties of nuts keep better unshelled than shelled, it is 

 usually the best practice to store nuts in the shell and crack them as 

 needed unless the kernels can be sealed in vacuum, which will permit 

 them to be kept even longer than in the shell. Generally nut kernels 

 should be stored at 32° F. 



The relative humidity of the storage room should be 65 to 75 per- 

 cent. At higher humidities there is danger of mold growth, and at 

 lower humidities there will be undue drying. 



(See 101a.) 



VEGETABLES 



By R. C. Wright, physiologist 



The recommended temperature, relative humidity, and approximate 

 length of storage period for the commercial storage of vegetables 

 are given in table 6. Detailed descriptions of these requirements are 

 given in the text. 



Table 6. — Recommended temperature, relative humidity, and approximate length 

 of storage period for the storage of various vegetables, and the average freez- 

 ing points 



Commodity 



Asparagus... 



Beans: 



Green or snap 



Lima 



Beets: 



Topped 



Bunch 



Broccoli (Italian or sprouting) 



Brussels sprouts 



Cabbage 



Carrots: 



Topped 



Bunch 



Cauliflower 



Celeriac 



Celery 



Corn (green) 



Cucumbers ^. 



See footnotes at end of table 



Tempera- 



Relative 



ture 



humidity 



°F. 



Percent 



32 



85 to 90 



32 to 40 



85 to 90 



32 to 40 



85 to 90 



32 



95 to 98 



32 



85 to 90 



32 to 35 



90 to 95 



32 to 35 



90 to 95 



32 



90 to 95 



32 



95 to 98 



32 



85 to 90 



32 



85 to 90 



32 



95 to 98 



31 to 32 



90 to 95 



31 to 32 



85 to 90 



45 to 50 



80 to 85 



Approximate length of 

 storage period 



3 to 4 weeks. 



2 to 4 weeks. 

 do 



1 to 3 months. 

 10 to 14 days. . 

 7 to 10 days... 

 3 to 4 weeks. . 



3 to 4 months . 



4 to 5 months. 

 10 to 14 days.. 



2 to 3 weeks. . 



3 to 4 months. 

 2 to 4 months. 



(«) 



10 to 14 days.. 



A verage 

 freezing 

 point i 



F. 



29. 



29.7 

 30.1 



29.2 

 3L2 

 29.6 

 30."i 



29.7 

 28.9 

 30. A 



