26 CIRCULAK 2 



CARROTS 



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



Carrots are stored in fairly large quantities during the winter. 

 The marketing period for stored carrots extends to late winter or 

 early spring when the new crop from the South appears on the market 

 in competitive quantities. They are usually held in common storage ' 

 in those sections where the storage temperature can ordinarily be held 

 sufficiently low. Carrots are sometimes held in cold storage, although 

 the prices obtained for them do not usually justify this kind of treat- 

 ment. 



It is generally considered that very light freezing causes practically 

 no injury to carrots, but they should be protected from severe freezing 

 and are best stored at a temperature of 32° F. They are subject to 

 wilting or drying out if the humidity is not fairly high; for this reason 

 they are more easily kept in a well-ventilated cellar or bank storage. 

 The relative humidity should be maintained at 90 to 95 percent. 



Before being placed in storage, carrots should be topped and all 

 misshapen or injured specimens sorted out. The latter are especially 

 objectionable because their presence in a storage lot favors the develop- 

 ment of two serious diseases of stored carrots, namely, watery soft rot 

 and bacterial soft rot. Carrots are best kept in slat crates or venti- 

 lated barrels, and allowance should be made for air circulation between 

 the containers. 



Bunch carrots may be stored for 10 days to 2 weeks, and the tops 

 will still retain a fresh appearance if they are not crowded in storage 

 and are free from surface moisture. 



CAULIFLOWER 



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



Cauliflower is not usually kept in cold storage; however, an over- 

 supply on the market can be stored for a short time to await more 

 favorable conditions. Cauliflower can be held satisfactorily for 2 to 3 

 weeks at 32° F. Successful storage depends not only on preventing 

 decay but also on retarding the maturing of the head or curd. Over- 

 maturity is marked by a browning of the otherwise white Curd and the 

 development of a ricey appearance. The leaves also become yellowish 

 and may drop off. Freezing causes a grayish-brown discoloration 

 and softening of the curd, accompanied by a w^ater-soaked condition. 



CELERY 



(Temperature, 31° to 32° F.; relative humidity, 90 to 95 percent) 



Much of the late celery grown in the Northern States, notably New 

 York and Michigan, is put into cold storage to supply the market up 

 to the period in late winter when the competition of new celery from 

 the South renders further holding unprofitable. Considerable celery 4 



from Florida is also put into cold storage toward the end of the 

 shipping season in that State and held to supply the market during 

 the summer, or until supplies of early, northern-grown stock appear 

 on the market. 



Celery is a rather perishable commodity and under unsuitable stor- 

 age conditions may suffer severely from the disease known as watery 

 soft rot. This disease originates in the field and is caused by a fun- 

 gus that is able to develop to some extent even at temperatures of 



