32 BULLETIN 1406, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE 



obtained in air-cooled 'storage, such varieties as York Imperial,. 

 Winesap, Yellow Newtown, and Arkansas {Mammoth Black Twig) 

 will give the best results. Stayman Winesap, Ben Davis, and Rome 

 Beauty held moderately well, but varieties which ripen still more 

 rapidly, such as King David and Grimes Golden, should be held for 

 only a very short period in common storage. 



It is unfortunate that it has not been possible to obtain for com- 

 parison similar records on the rate of softening of the varieties; 

 grown extensively in the Northeastern States. However, from the 

 available data relative to rate of softening of such varieties as Bald- 

 win, Stark, Northern Spy, and Rhode Island Greening, it ap- 

 pears that most of them soften much faster in storage at the same 

 temperatures than do the best storage varieties grown in the southern 

 and northwestern growing districts. Ben Davis and Gano grown 

 in New York are usually hard at time of picking and ripen rela- 

 tively slowly. These varieties, however, do not attain their best 

 quality under short-season conditions such as usually prevail in the- 

 Northeastern States. 



SOFTENING OF APPLES HELD AT 70° F. 



Figure 13 shows graphically the rate of softening of a number 

 of Virginia and Washington-grown apple varieties when held in 

 storage at 70° F. It is apparent that all varieties which were 

 studied, softened with great rapidity when held continuously at this, 

 temperature. Of all the varieties studied. Yellow Newtown, both 

 Virginia and Washington grown, softened the most slowly. 



It it rather surprising that even such varieties as Winesap and 

 York Imperial soften almost as rapidly as Grimes Golden, Delicious,, 

 and Jonathan when held at 70° F. Since these varieties were harder 

 at time of picking, a somewhat longer period was required before 

 they reached prime eating condition, but the decrease in hardness 

 each 24 hours in storage was practically as great in these varieties 

 as in the fruit having the shorter storage season. 



These results are particularly significant in connection with the 

 effect of delaying storage on fruit intended for cold-storage holding. 

 Temperatures of 60° to 70° F. are not unusual during the picking- 

 season in many apple-growing sections. A comparison of Figure 

 13, showing the softening rate at 70° with Figures 10 and 11, show- 

 ing the softening rate of the same varieties at 32°, reveals some inter- 

 esting comparisons. Virginia-grown Grimes Golden, for example,, 

 softened as much in 11 days at 70° as in 60 days at 32°. At the end 

 of 10 days at 70° Washington-grown Stayman Winesaps were softer 

 than at the end of 100 days at 32°. Washington-grown Winesaps at 

 the end of 10 days at 70° were as soft as at the end of 115 days at 

 32° ; Virginia-grown Winesaps were as soft at the end of 20 days 

 at 70° as at the end of a 6 months' storage period at 32°. Mcintosh 

 softened as much in 7 days at 70° as in 70 days at 32°. A detailed 

 study of the comparative softening rates at 70° and at 32° indicates 

 that the extent of softening in 1 day at 70° is approximately the- 

 same in most varieties as in 10 days at 32°. 



It is interesting to note that in practically all varieties of fruit held 

 at 70° F. there was very little softening and in many instances an 

 apparent slight increase in hardness during the first 3 or 4 days, 



