STORAGE OF FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND FLORISTS' STOCKS 45 



The curing and storing are done in the same house so that the 

 potatoes do not have to be moved after the curing treatment. When 

 commercial lots are handled, the storage house is generally of special 

 construction with sufficient insulation to maintain a uniform tem- 

 perature and some means of ventilation that will insure the desired 

 humidity. Provision should be made for heating the building during 

 the curing process and for holding the proper storage temperature 

 afterward. The curing process ordinarily takes about 10 days, during 

 which the house is kept at a temperature of 85° F., with a relative 

 humidity of 85 percent. After the curing period the storage tem- 

 perature is allowed to drop to about 55°, with a humidity of 80 to 

 85 percent. Short periods of a few hours at temperatures somewhat 

 lower than 50° need not cause alarm, but prolonged periods of low 

 temperature should be avoided because of the danger from certain 

 types of decay, which are more likely to develop at temperatures below 

 the range given (45, SI). Under the recommended conditions, prop- 

 erly cured stock should keep satisfactorily for 4 to 6 months. 



Only well-matured stock that is practically free from mechanical 

 injury or decay should be used for storage. Sweetpotatoes are usu- 

 ally stored in slat crates of about a bushel capacity or in bushel baskets. 

 Shallow bins are sometimes used. The roots should be handled as 

 little as possible during storage. 



(See 40.) 



Tomatoes 



(Temperature : ripe, 40° to 50° F. ; mature green, 55° to 70°. Eelative humidity, 



80 to 85 percent) 



Ripe tomatoes are held in storage only temporarily and, except for 

 short storage, should not be stored at temperatures lower than 40° F. 

 At 40° to 50°, if not already soft ripe, they will keep in good condition 

 for a week to 10 days ; at temperatures lower than this they sometimes 

 show a tendency to break down. 



Green tomatoes are best kept at a temperature not lower than 55° F. 

 At this temperature ripening progresses slowly but satisfactorily, and 

 mature green tomatoes can be kept for 3 to 5 weeks before becoming 

 overripe. At temperatures much below 55° green tomatoes do not 

 ripen well and if kept there more than about 8 days and then moved 

 to a warmer place usually do not ripen satisfactorily; on the other 

 hand, if they are to be kept for less than 8 days they can be held at 

 40° or even somewhat lower. If fairly rapid ripening is desired, 

 temperatures from 60° to 70° should be used. At 70° or slightly above, 

 ripening is accelerated, but so also is the development of decay, which 

 will be found difficult to control. At about 80° coloring will be un- 

 even since the development of the red pigment is inhibited at this 

 temperature or above. The relative humidity of tomato-storage or 

 tomato-ripening rooms should be from 80 to 85 percent. 



(See 101,119,121.) 



Turnips 



(Temperature, 32° F. ; relative humidity, 95 to 98 percent) 



Turnips require the same storage conditions as topped carrots. 

 They can be expected to keep for 4 to 5 months. 



