30 



in good condition. If held for a longer time at temperatures below 

 36°, low-temperature break-down marked by a watery discoloration of 

 the rind, followed by fungus decay will probably result; at 36° to 38° 

 decay may occur which will seriously discolor the rind. All blemishes 

 show more plainly on these melons because of their light-colored, 

 smooth surfaces. 



CASABA AND PERSIAN MELONS 

 (Temperature, 36° to 40° F.; humidity, 75 to 85 percent) 



Casaba and Persian melons are relatively good keepers. They will 

 remain in good condition in storage for at least 4 weeks and have been 

 reported to keep as long as 6 weeks. 



MUSHROOMS (CULTIVATED) 

 (Temperature, 32° to 35° F.; relative humidity, 80 to 85 percent) 



Mushrooms do not keep well in storage and are therefore stored 

 only temporarily for periods of 2 to 3 days. They are easily injured 

 by freezing. 



ONIONS AND ONION SETS 



(Temperature, 32° F.; relative humidity, 70 to 75 percent) 



Onions are held in either common or cold storage. In the northern 

 onion-growing States, strongly flavored varieties, mostly of the globe 

 type, are generally held in common or dry storage. The principal 

 northern onion-producing States have a sufficiently low average winter 

 temperature so that onions can be successfuUy held in common storage 

 there during the winter months. About one-fourth of the onion crop of 

 these States, however, is put into cold storage for consumption late in 

 the spring. About the first of March is considered as late as onions 

 should be held in common storage, because after this time there is 

 danger of sprouting. The mild, or Bermuda types, such as those pro- 

 duced in Washington, southern California, Texas, and other States, 

 where the climate is not suitable for common storage, are usually con- 

 sumed shortly after being harvested. These onions can be, and limited 

 quantities are, held in cold storage, but usually for much shorter periods 

 than the globe varieties because of their poorer keeping qualities. The 

 Spanish or Valencia type of onions grown in this coimtry are often 

 stored and, if well matured, are considered capable of storage for 

 practically as long as the globe type. 



A comparatively low relative humidity (70 to 75 percent) is very 

 desirable for the successful storage of onions. At higher humidities, 

 in which many other vegetables keep best in storage, onions are dis- 

 posed to root growth and decay. The commonest form of the latter 

 is gray mold rot occurring at the top of the bulb, whence its name 

 "neck rot" (48)- The fungus causing it can develop to some extent 

 even at 32° F.; hence onions intended for storage should be carefully 

 sorted over to remove all diseased bulbs. A uniform temperature of 

 32° is found to be sufficiently low to keep onions dormant and reason- 

 ably free from decay provided they are in good sound condition and 

 well cured when stored. 



Onions are not perceptibly injured by slight freezing if allowed to 

 thaw out slowly and without rough handling. In cold storage they 

 are usually held in bags of 50 or 100 pounds each, which are best piled 

 in pairs laid crosswise in stacks five or six sacks high. The stacks 

 should be set a few inches off the floor on 2- by 4-inch strips and the 



