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



take place in 3 days after removal from storage than during the whole 

 storage period. Fresh prunes shipped out of storage at shipping 

 point cannot safely be stored again after arrival at eastern markets. 

 Storage disorders can be prevented by partly ripening the fruit prior 

 to storage at 31° to 32° or by holding it at 40° to 45°. 

 (See 1,26, 97.) 



Quinces 

 (Temperature, 31° to 32° F. ; relative humidity, 80 to 85 percent) 



The behavior of quinces in storage is about the same as that of early 

 varieties of apples such as Jonathan and Grimes Golden. 



Raspberries 



(Temperature, 31° to 32° F. ; relative humidity 80 to 85 percent) 



Fresh raspberries, blackberries, Logan blackberries, and dewberries 

 are not adapted to storage and are usually not stored commercially. 

 For short periods, 7 to 10 days, most of them can be kept in fair condi- 

 tion by storage at 31° to 32° F. in a relative humidity of about 80 to 

 85 percent. Young and Boysen dewberries cannot be stored satis- 

 factorily for more than 3 to 4 days. 



Strawberries 



(Temperature, 31° to 32° F. ; relative humidity, 80 to 85 percent) 



Fresh strawberries are not stored commercially except for very 

 short periods ; 10 days is probably the maximum. Even for so short 

 a time as this the temperature must be kept below 40° F. to prevent 

 loss from decay caused b}^ certain low-temperature fungi such as 

 gray mold and Phytophthora, the fungus which causes leather rot ; 

 31° to 32° is still better. After about 10 days, sometimes sooner, the 

 fruit loses its fresh bright color, shrivels more or less, and deterio- 

 rates in flavor (11 i) . 



Dried Fruits 



(Temperature and relative humidity, see text) 



For the preservation of natural color in storage, cut dried fruits 

 and dried berries that are not subject to sugaring are held at 26° F. 

 with no humidity control or at 32° with a relative humidity of 70 

 to 75 percent. 



Figs and prunes are best stored at 40° to 45° F. The relative hu- 

 midity should not be over 70 to 75 percent, to prevent excessive absorp- 

 tion of moisture. Dried apples, apricots, and peaches keep best at 

 26° to 32°. Raisins should be stored at 40° to 45° and require a rela- 

 tive humidity of 50 to 60 percent to keep them from absorbing 

 moisture. The holding of dried fruit in high humidity at tempera- 

 tures above 32° is likely to result in mold. The dried fruits men- 

 tioned can be kept in marketable condition for 9 to 12 months at the 

 temperatures and humidities specified. 



Dried fruit can be tightly stacked, without stripping, in large solid 

 blocks in storage rooms without injurious effect, and this method of 

 handling the packages minimizes the absorption of moisture from the 



