20 



CIRCULAR' 2 7 8, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



VEGETABLES 

 By R. C. Wright, physiologist 



The recommended temperature, relative humidity, and approxi- 

 mate length of storage period for the commercial storage of vege- 

 tables are given in table 5. Detailed descriptions of these require- 

 ments are given in the text following. 



Table 5. — Recommended Temperature, relative humidity, and approximate length 

 of storage period for the storage of various vegetables 



Commodity 



Asparagus 



Beans: 



Green or snap 



Lima 



Beets: 



Topped 



Bunch 



Broccoli— 



Cabbage .. 



Carrots: 



Topped 



Bunch 



Cauliflower. 



Celery 



Corn (green) 



Cucumbers 



Eggplants 



Endive 



Garlic (dry) 



Horseradish 



Jerusalem artichokes 



Leeks (green) 



Lettuce 



Melons: 



Watermelons 



Muskmelon (cantaloupe) 



Honey Dew and Honey Ball 



Casaba and Persian 



Onions and onion sets 



Parsnips 



Peas (green). 



Peppers: 



Chili (dry)... 



Sweet 



Potatoes 



Pumpkins 



Radishes (winter) 



Rhubarb 



Rutabagas 



Salsify 



Spinach 



Squash (winter) 



Sweetpotatoes 



Tomatoes: 



Ripe 



Mature green 



Turnips 



Temper- i Relative Approximate length 1 £jJJ85 

 ature humidity of storage period f^inti 



32 



32 



32 | 



32 ■ 

 32 | 

 32 I 

 32 



32 



32 



32 



31-32 



31-32 



50-60 



50-60 



32 



32 



32 



31-32 



32 



32 



50-55 

 50-55 



50-55 



50-55 

 32 

 32 

 32 



See text 



32 



36-50 



55-60 



32 



32 



32 



32 



32 



55-60 



50-55 



50-55 



< 55-70 



32 



Percent 



85-90 ' 3 to 4 weeks. 



85-90 do. 



85-90 i do. 



90-95 

 85-90 

 85-90 



1 to 3 months . 

 7 to 10 days... 

 10 to 15 days. 



90-95 ! 3 to 4 months. 



90-95 

 90-95 

 85-90 

 90-95 

 85-90 

 80-85 

 85-90 

 90-95 

 70-75 

 85-90 

 90-95 

 85-90 

 90-95 



75-85 

 75-85 



75-85 



75-85 

 70-75 

 90-95 

 85-90 



70-75 



85-90 

 85-90 

 70-75 

 90-95 

 90-95 

 90-95 

 90-95 

 90-95 

 70-75 

 80-90 



2 to 4 months . 

 7 to 10 days _ . . 

 2 to 3 weeks... 

 2 to 4 months- 

 See text 



6 to 8 days 



10 days 



2 to 3 weeks... 

 6 to 8 months . 

 4 to 6 months . 

 2 to 5 months . 



1 to 3 months. 



2 to 3 weeks. .. 



1 to 3 weeks.. 



3 to 4 weeks.. 



4 to 6 weeks. . 



5 to 6 months. 

 2 to 4 months. 

 1 to 3 weeks.. 



6 to 9 months. 

 4 to 6 weeks... 

 See text 



) 2 to 6 months. 

 I 2 to 4 months. 



2 to 3 weeks... 



2 to 4 months. 



....do 



7 to 10 days... 

 2 to 6 months. 

 4 to 6 months. 



80-85 | 7 to 10 days . . 

 80-85 I 1 to 6 weeks.. 

 90-95 ' 2 to 4 months. 



29.74 



29.20 

 31.18 



29.57 



30.08 

 29.73 

 28.95 

 30.50 

 30.41 

 30.90 

 25.40 

 26.40 

 27.50 

 29.20 

 31.20 



2 29. 20 



3 28. 80 



2 29.00 



3 28. 50 



2 29.00 



3 28. 20 



30.09 

 28.90 

 30.03 



30.09 

 28.92 

 30.15 



28.40 

 27.10 

 28.40 

 30.64 

 29.30 

 28.44 



30.40 

 30.23 



See footnote 1, table 3. 2 Flesh. » Rind. 



ASPARAGUS 



* See text. 



(Temperature, 32° F. ; relative humidity, 85 to 90 percent) 



Fresh asparagus is not usually stored except temporarily when the 

 market is overstocked. Experiments have shown, however, that it 

 can be kept successfully for 3 to 4 weeks at a temperature of 32° F. 



