26 



CIRCULAR 27 8, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



period for storage for canning and local fresh markets is about 90 

 clays, and for storage at shipping point and at terminal markets, 45 

 to 60 days. 



FALL AND WINTER PEARS 



For fall and winter varieties of pears (43, 67, 68), such as Anjou, 

 Bosc, Clairgeau, Cornice, Easter Beurre, Hardy, Seckel, and Winter 

 Nelis, the most desirable storage temperature is 29° to 31° F. A rela- 

 tive humidity of 85 to 90 percent is most commonly used. However, a 

 relative humidity of 90 to 95 percent is maintained in some pear stor- 

 age rooms in order to prevent shriveling. Such humidities are main- 

 tained in connection with air velocities of 100 to 200 feet per minute. 

 The length of time for which it is safe to store these pears depends 

 on the variety and when it is picked and also on whether the fruit 

 is shipped directly to a consuming center and there stored or is stored 

 at the shipping point for a time and later shipped to market. In- 

 formation on these points is given in table 6. In using the table it 

 should be remembered that wide differences in keeping quality are 

 often found in pears from various producing sections of the country. 

 If Bosc, Flemish Beauty, and Cornice pears are held in cold storage 

 beyond their season they do not ripen satisfactorily or they may not 

 ripen at all (27). For best ripening after storage these and most 

 other varieties of fall and winter pears should be held at a temperature 

 somewhere in the range from 65° to 70°, preferably about 65°. 



Table 6. — Length of time at 30° to 31° F. for safe storage of certain 

 varieties of pears at shipping point and after shipment to market 

 (68) 



Storage treatment and variety 



Stored immediately after harvest: 



Hardy 



Cornice 



Bosc 1 



Clairgeau - 



Anj ou 



Winter Nelis 



Easter Beurre 



Stored after 12-day transit period 

 (precooled) : 



Anjou 



Hardy 



Cornice 



Bosc 



Clairgeau 



Winter Nelis 



Length of 



storage 



period 



Months 



2 to 3 



2 to 3 



3 to sy 2 



6 



5 to 6 



6 to 7 



5 to 7 



4 to 5 



2 to 3 



2 to 3 



2 to 3 



3 to 6 



6 to 7 



End of storage period 



September to November. 

 November to December. 



Do. 

 February. 

 March. 

 March to May. 



Do. 



March. 



September to November. 



November to December. 



Do. 

 November to February. 

 March to May. 



The commonest and most serious decays of fall and winter pears in 

 storage are gray mold rot, caused by the fungus Botrytis, and blue 

 mold rot, caused by the fungus Penicilliivm. Gray mold rot is able to 

 spread from decaying to sound healthy fruit and for that reason is 

 frequently called nest rot. Losses from this rot can be reduced by 

 the use of paper wrappers impregnated with copper (14)- In the 



