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



jury, in order to prevent undue shrinkage because of storage decay. 

 Beets may be stored in ventilated barrels or better in slat crates. 

 Storage in large bulk should be avoided. Bunch beets may be stored 

 for a week to 10 days if the leaves are free of surface moisture and 

 the bunches are not packed so as to exclude air from the tops. 



BROCCOLI (ITALIAN OR SPROUTING) 

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



Italian or sprouting broccoli is usually held in storage for only 

 short periods. If in good condition and stored with sufficient venti- 

 lation between the packages it should keep satisfactorily for 10 to 

 15 days. 



CABBAGE 

 (.Temperature, 32° F. ; relative humidity, 90 to 95 percent) 



A large percentage of the late crop of cabbage is stored and sold 

 during the winter and early spring, or until the new crop from the 

 Southern States appears on the market. If stored under proper 

 conditions cabbage should keep for 3 to 4 months. The longest 

 keeping varieties belong to the Danish B alike ad class. Cabbage is 

 most successfully held in common storage in the Northern States, 

 where a fairly uniform inside temperature from 32° to 35° F. can 

 be maintained. Many such storage houses are to be found, prin- 

 cipally in Xew York. Pennsylvania. Michigan, and Wisconsin. 

 Cabbage in quantity usually is not held in cold storage because its 

 value does not justify the expense of handling. 



Storehouses should be insulated sufficiently to prevent freezing, 

 for although slight freezing does no harm, hard freezing is likely 

 to cause considerable loss. More ventilating capacity than is re- 

 quired for most other vegetables should be provided to carry away 

 the excessive moisture given off by the active respiration of this 

 product and to obtain the maximum advantage of the cold night 

 air during mild weather. Cabbage wilts quickly if held under too- 

 dry storage conditions, hence the humidity should be high enough 

 to keep the leaves fresh and turgid. Bin storage is common, the 

 bins usually being 4 to 5 feet wide and 10 to even 20 feet long and 

 about 5 feet deep. They are best separated by slat partitions with 

 4-inch air spaces between. Tiers of bins may be built as high as it 

 is convenient to elevate the cabbage when filling. The use of slat 

 shelves with the heads piled 1 or 2 layers deep is considered the best 

 method but is too expensive when large quantities are to be stored. 



Cabbage should be handled carefully from the field to the storage. 

 Before it is stored, the roots and all loose leaves should be trimmed 

 away, and the damaged and misshapen heads should be culled out. 

 On removal from storage the heads should be trimmed again to 

 remove loose and damaged leaves. 



