Circular No. 278 ^Xmi 



September 1933 • Washington, D. C. 



UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



The Commercial Storage of Fruits, Vegetables, 

 and Florists' Stocks 



By Dean H. Rose, senior physiologist, R. C. Wright, physiologist, and T. M. 

 Whiteman, assistant horticulturist, Division of Fruit and Vegetable Crops and 

 Diseases, Bureau of Plant Industry 1 



Introduction 



Factors involved in cold storage 



CONT 



Page 

 2 

 2 



'ENTS 



Vegetables— Continued. 



Broccoli (Italian or sprouting) 



Page 

 29 

 29 



Temperature of storage rooms 



Humidity of storage rooms 



Evolution of heat by commodity. . 



3 



4 



6 



Cabbage 



Carrots 



Cauliflower 



Celeriac 



Celery 



Corn (green) . . ... 



29 

 30 

 31 



Effect of cold storage on subsequent behavior 

 of fruits and vegetables - 10 



31 

 31 



Sweating . __ 



10 



11 



11 



11 



32 



Waxing 



Choice of storage conditions 



Fruits and nuts _-. 



Cucumbers 



Eggplants 



Endive or escarole 



Garlic (dry).. 



32 

 32 

 33 



Apples ..... 



12 



14 



14 

 15 



33 



Apricots 



Horseradish 



Jerusalem-artichoke .. ... _ _ 



33 

 33 



Bananas.. 



Kohlrabi 



Leeks (green) . ... 



33 



Blackberries 



15 



15 



16 



16 



17 



17 



17 



18 



19 



20 



20 



34 



Cherries 



Coconuts 



Cranberries 



Dates . 



Lettuce 



Melons 



Mushrooms (cultivated) 



Onions and onion sets. . .. ... 



34 

 34 

 35 

 35 



Dewberries 



Grapefruit 



Grapes.. 



Lemons.... 



Limes 



Logan blackberries .. 



Parsnips 



Peas (green) 



Peppers 



Potatoes 



Pumpkins and squashes 



Radishes (winter) . . 



36 

 36 

 37 

 37 



38 

 39 



Olives (fresh)... 



20 



Rhubarb 



Rutabagas .-- 



39 



Oranges... . 



21 



21 



22 



23 



24 



39 



Peaches 



Pears 



Pineapples 



Plums (including prunes) 



Salsify 



Spinach 



Squashes 



Sweetpotatoes 



Tomatoes 



Turnips 



Frozen vegetables 



Cut flowers, florists' greens, rhizomes, tubers, 



39 

 39 

 39 

 39 



Quinces 



Raspberries 



Strawberries . 



Dried fruits - 



24 



24 



24 



25 



40 

 40 

 40 





25 



41 



Nuts 



25 



26 



27 



28 





42 



Vegetables 



Asparagus 



Florists' greens 



Rhizomes, tubers, and conns 



Bulbs 



45 

 46 

 46 





28 



47 









The writers not only have included results of their own investigations but also have 

 drawn freely on published and unpublished results of other staff members, whose assistance 

 and cooperation have done much to make possible this publication in its present form. 

 Acknowledgment for unpublished information furnished on refrigeration or commodities 

 indicated is due the following members of this Division : W. R. Barger, dates and dried 

 fruits ; C. O. Bratley, limes and pineapples ; Fisk Gerhardt, A. L. Ryall, and W. H. English, 

 pears ; C. W. Mann, lemons ; W. T. Pentzer, refrigeration, garlic, olives, pears, and peppers ; 

 Edwin Smith, refrigeration, apricots and pears. Acknowledgment is also due E. B. Lambert, 

 Division of Mycology and Disease Survey, mushrooms ; and J. N. Kelley, Fruit Dispatch 

 Co., bananas. Special acknowledgment is made to D. F. Fisher, of this Division, for 

 valuable suggestions and criticisms throughout the preparation of this and earlier editions 

 of the circular. 



324484°— 41 1 1 



