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



However, "full eating-soft condition" is not what is wanted in 

 apples withdrawn from storage for sale to retailers and by them to 

 the consumer. The dealer would ordinarily require 2 days to a week 

 for disposing of such apples. In determining when to remove apples 

 from storage he must, of course, consider the market, but he must also 

 allow for the more rapid softening that takes place at the higher 

 temperatures to which they will usually be removed. 



Investigations by the United States Department of Agriculture 

 (26) have shown that apples soften approximately twice as fast at 

 70° as at 50° F., twice as fast at 50° as at 40°, and about twice as 

 fast at 40° as at 32°. It is advisable, therefore, to consider the safe 

 storage period, that is, the period which is safe from the commercial 

 point of view, as about 2 weeks to a month shorter than those given 

 in the tabulation above. 



Apples in cold storage should be inspected frequently, in order 

 that they may be removed and sold while still in good condition. 

 It is highly desirable that apples intended for storage be wrapped 

 in oiled paper or packed in shredded oiled paper, in order to reduce 

 damage by scald as much as possible (3). Apples should not be 

 stored in the same room with potatoes because of the danger that 

 the former will absorb undesirable odors (4). 



APRICOTS 



(Temperature, 30° to 32° F.; relative humidity, 80 to 85 percent) 



Apricots picked at a stage of maturity that gives them good varietal 

 sweetness and flavor can be held satisfactorily at 30° to 32° F. for 

 about 10 days. After such storage and a period of 4 days at room 

 temperature they ripen without discoloration, to a desirable texture 

 and flavor. If stored at higher temperatures, they are likely to 

 become tough and flat in flavor after ripening at room temperature, 

 or they may become mealy and develop a stale flavor. 



A relative humidity of 80 to 85 percent is recommended for apricots 

 in storage. 



AVOCADOS 



(Temperature, 40° to 55° F.; relative humidity, 85 to 90 percent) 



Investigations in California (29) on the storage of avocados have 

 shown that the best temperature for all varieties grown there, except 

 the Fuerte, is about 40° F. The Fuerte discolors internally at this 

 temperature but holds up well at 45°. At temperatures below 40° 

 all the varieties investigated are likely to become discolored internally 

 and do not soften when removed to a higher temperature. 



When properly stored, the Dickinson, Royal, Taft, and Queen are 

 said to hold up well for about 2 months, the Spinks, Sharpless, and 

 Challenge for 5 to 6 weeks, and the Ray, Fuerte, and Kist for about 

 4 weeks. Most of these varieties are of the Guatemalan race. 



No general recommendations can be made concerning the storage of 

 varieties of avocados grown in Florida, Central America, or the West 

 Indies, because of the wide variation among them in susceptibility 

 to injury by low temperatures. Many varieties of the West Indian 

 race are injured by exposure to a temperature of 53° F. for 15 days 

 (49, 50), whereas those of the Guatemalan race are more resistant to 

 cold and those of the Mexican race the most resistant of all. Some of 

 the varieties that are least affected by cold can safely be held at 40° 

 for 30 to 40 days or even longer. 



