COMMERCIAL STORAGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES 15 



close to 32° F. The Catawba keeps better than most other eastern 

 varieties and if in good condition when stored can be held for 3 to 

 4 months even in common storage, in the regions where this variety 

 is grown on a commercial scale. 



Too low humidity is undesirable for grapes since it causes shrivel- 

 ing, especially of the stems. Stock intended for storage should be 

 handled carefully to avoid cracking of the berries or loosening at 

 the cap stem, because such injuries allow juice to exude and thus 

 furnish favorable conditions for the beginning of decay. 



Scuppernong grapes are shipped only short distances if at all and 

 are not known to be held in cold storage anywhere in commercial 

 quantities. 



• LEMONS 

 (Temperature, 50° to 55° F. ; relative humidity, 80 to 85 percent) 



From the standpoint of preventing decay (blue-mold rot, green- 

 mold rot, and Alternaria rot) in stored lemons, the lowest tempera- 

 ture that can be used without freezing the fruit would seem to be 

 desirable. The difficulty is that at such low temperatures certain 

 nonparasitic troubles develop which are fully as serious as the decay ; 

 among these are red blotch, membranous stain, and " peteca ", a kind 

 of pitting of the rind. At somewhat higher temperatures (50° to 

 55° F.) all of these are absent or much less serious and decay is very 

 little greater. The best results are usually obtained by storage at 

 50° to 55° in a humidity of 80 to 85 percent. Under such conditions 

 lemons can be expected to hold up satisfactorily for periods of 2 weeks 

 to as long as 4 months, depending on their maturity and condition 

 when stored. 



If they have been handled carefully they will store better than if 

 they have been injured by rough handling, because there will be 

 fewer clipper cuts, scratches, and bruises and consequently less dam- 

 age later by green-mold rot and blue-mold rot. The latter is able 

 to penetrate the uninjured skin of lemons but is likely to cause more 

 loss if the skin of the fruit is broken at numerous places. It can also 

 grow from one fruit to another in the package and for this reason 

 is frequently referred to as a contact rot. 



Lemons and other citrus fruits should not be stored in the same 

 rooms with dairy products, because of the readiness with which the 

 latter absorb odors. In fact it is better not to keep the two kinds 

 of commodities even in the same building. 



LOGAN BLACKBERRIES 



Short storage only. See raspberries. 



ORANGES 

 (Temperature, 32° F. ; relative humidity, 80 to 85 percent) 



Oranges can be held for 1 or 2 months at 32° F. without serious 

 deterioration in appearance or flavor. However, some decay, chiefly 

 blue-mold rot or green-mold rot, may occur during storage of a 

 month or more, and some fruit may begin to show brown spots on 

 the peel. If stored for longer periods, decay increases and the 

 spotted fruit may gradually turn brown over all or most of the sur- 



