COMMERCIAL STORAGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 11 



APPLES 

 (Temperature, 31° to 32° F. ; relative humidity, 85 to 88 percent) 



There is a wide variation in the storage quality of the different 

 varieties of apples, and of the same variety grown in different re- 

 gions. For example, Mcintosh grown in the Middle Atlantic States 

 is practically an early fall apple not suitable for more than a few 

 days' storage, whereas if grown in northern New York or New 

 England it can be held for as long as 4 months. Such varieties as 

 Northern Spy, Baldwin, and Rhode Island Greening grown in the 

 Cumberland-Shenandoah Valley region or in the hot, irrigated 

 valleys of the Pacific Northwest are very short lived in storage, 

 although suitable for all- winter storage when grown in New England, 

 New York, Michigan, and other northern producing districts. 



The keeping quality of apples in storage is also definitely related 

 to the cultural and orchard sanitation practices of the grower, who 

 alone is responsible for the production of sound, properly matured 

 fruit. To have good keeping quality, apples should be fully grown 

 and well colored. When they have reached this stage, they are less 

 likely to scald in storage and are in better condition generally to be 

 held in storage for the maximum period than if they are either 

 immature or overmature. 



To insure soundness and good-keeping quality, apples must be not 

 only properly grown and at the proper stage of maturity — they 

 should also be handled in all the operations of picking, grading, 

 packing, and hauling with that degree of care necessary to prevent 

 serious bruising, skin punctures, or other mechanical injuries; and 

 they should be stored as quickly as possible after they are picked. 

 The diseases of apples in storage are discussed in Farmers' Bulletin 

 1160 (0). 



For the storage of most varieties of apples the best results are 

 obtained by maintaining a temperature of 31° to 32° F., and a rela- 

 tive humidity of 85 to 88 percent. Apples from the Pajaro Valley 

 in California, particularly those of the Yellow Newtown variety, 

 should be held at 35° to 38° rather than at 32°, to prevent the 

 development of internal browning or brown core. 



If air-cooled storage is used, the temperature obtainable will 

 usually not be much lower than the average of the prevailing outside 

 temperatures. The nearer this is to 32° the better. 



The length of time apples can be held successfully in cold storage 

 will vary with the variety, with the region where grown, as well as 

 with their condition when harvested. The following data show about 

 how much time different varieties, as grown in regions to which they 

 are best adapted, require to reach full eating-soft condition when 

 picked at proper maturity and stored immediately at 32° F. 



Variety Months 



Mcintosh 2 to 4 



Grimes Golden 2 to 4 



Jonathan 3 to 4 



Tompkins King 4 to 5 



Northern Spy 4 to 6 



Esopus Spitzenburg 4 to 6 



Ben Davis 5 to 6 



King David 5 to G 



Delicious „_ w 5 to 6 



Variety Months 



Rome Beauty 5 to 6 



Baldwin 5 to 7 



Rhode Island Greening 6 to 7 



Stayman Winesap 6 to 7 



Arkansas 6 to 7 



York Imperial 6 to 7 



Yellow Newtown 6 to 8 



Winesap 7 to 8 



