STORAGE OF FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND FLORISTS' STOCKS 39 



held too long in storage, decay develops so rapidly on removal that 

 they soon become practically worthless. 

 (See 70.) 



HONEY DEW AND HONEY BALL MELONS 

 (Temperature, 36° to 38° F. ; relative humidity, 75 to 85 percent) 

 Honey Dew and Honey Ball melons can usually be kept a little 

 longer in storage than cantaloups. At 36° to 38° F. or slightly lower, 

 such melons can be expected to keep for 2 to 4 weeks and still reach 

 the consumer in good condition. If held for a longer time at tem- 

 peratures 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, which will seriously discolor the rind, may 

 occur. All blemishes show more plainly on these melons because of 

 their light-colored, smooth surfaces, 



CASABA AND PERSIAN MELONS 

 (Temperature, 36° to 40° F. ; relative 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 or slightly longer. They 

 are easily injured by freezing. 



Okra 



(Temperature, 50° F. ; relative humidity, 85 to 95 percent) 



Okra, if in good condition, can be kept satisfactorily in storage for 

 a maximum of 2 weeks at a temperature of 50° F. A relative humidity 

 of 85 to 95 percent is desirable to prevent wilting. At temperatures 

 below 50° okra is subject to chilling injury, which is manifested by 

 surface discoloration, pitting, and decay. 6 



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 successfully held in common storage 

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

 of these States, however, is put in 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- 



6 Morris, L. L., and Mann, L. K. storage of okra. Refrig. Res. Found. 

 Fact File Sheet. 1 p. December 1948. [Processed.] 



