STORAGE OF FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND FLORISTS' STOCKS 31 



T^ble 7. — Recommended temperature, relative humidity, and approxi- 

 mate length of storage period for the commercial storage of various 

 vegetables, and the average freezing points — Continued 



Commodity 



Onions 



Onion sets 



Parsnips 



Peas (green) 



Peppers : 



Chili (dry) 



Sweet 



Potatoes : 



Early 



Late 



Pumpkins 



Radishes (winter) 



Rhubarb 



Rutabagas 



Salsify 



Spinach 



Squashes: 



Summer 



Winter 



Sweetpotatoes 



Tomatoes : 



Ripe 



Mature green _ . 

 Turnips 



Tempera- 



Relative 



ture 



humidity 



o p 



Percent 



32 



70 to 75 



32 



70 to 75 



32 



90 to 95 



32 



85 to 90 



( 2 ) 



70 to 75 



32 



85 to 90 



( 2 ) 



85 to 90 



38 to 50 



85 to 90 



50 to 55 



70 to 75 



32 



95 to 98 



32 



90 to 95 



32 



95 to 98 



32 



95 to 98 



32 



90 to 95 



40 to 50 



85 to 95 



50 to 55 



70 to 75 



2 50to55 



80 to 85 



40 to 50 



80 to 85 



2 55 to 70 



80 to 85 



32 



95 to 98 



Approximate length 

 of storage period 



6 to 8 months. 



do 



2 to 4 months. 

 1 to 2 weeks __ 



6 to 9 months. 

 4 to 6 weeks_. 



( 2 ) 



(2) 



2 to 6 months. 

 2 to 4 months. 

 2 to 3 weeks_. 

 2 to 4 months. 



do 



10 to 14 days. 



2 to 3 weeks __ 

 4 to 6 months. 

 do 



7 to 10 days__ 



3 to 5 weeks __ 



4 to 5 months. 



Average 

 freezing 

 point 1 



F. 



30. 1 

 29. 5 

 28. 9 

 30.0 



30. 1 



28.9 

 30. 1 



28.4 

 29. 5 

 28.4 

 30.3 



29.3 

 28. 5 



30.4 

 30.4 

 30. 5 



1 These figures are based on previously published work by Wright (116) and 

 are subject to revision whenever further investigation makes this necessary. 



2 See text. 3 Flesh. 4 Rind. 



Asparagus 

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



Fresh asparagus is not usually stored except temporarily when the 

 market is overstocked. Experiments have shown, however, that it can 

 be kept successfully for 3 to 4 weeks at a temperature of 32° F. At this 

 temperature, growth of the stalks, which takes place at higher tem- 

 peratures, is practically nil. The original tenderness of fresh aspara- 

 gus, which at ordinary room temperatures is lost soon after cutting 

 owing to the formation of woody tissue, is preserved at the lower tem- 

 perature. Furthermore, the sugar content, to which asparagus owes 

 some of its flavor and which after cutting rapidly diminishes at higher 

 temperatures, remains practically the same as when the asparagus 

 is cut, if it is put in storage at this temperature immediately after 

 cutting. Therefore, the sooner asparagus is placed in proper storage 

 after harvesting the better will be its condition when used. The loss 

 of water while in storage or transit is likely to be great if the stalks 

 are not stood on wet moss or other moist absorbent material placed in 

 the bottoms of the crates. In storage, asparagus bunches are some- 

 times set in water in shallow trays or pans. After a long haul to 

 market, asparagus should not be expected to keep in storage for more 

 than 3 to 6 days, although the preservation of quality will depend 



