RIPENING, STORAGE, AND HANDLING OF APPLES 



31 



SOFTENING OF APPLES HELD AT 40° F. 



The comparative rate of softening of different varieties of apples 

 when held at a temperature of 40° F. gives a very satisfactory 

 index to their behavior when held under common, or air-cooled, 

 storage conditions. The temperatures which prevail during the 

 early storage season in air-cooled storages will be considerably 

 above 40° in most of the apple-growing sections of the United States. 

 Temperatures will drop off, however, until in most of the apple- 

 growing regions a temperature of 40° can be maintained by the 

 middle of November with lower temperatures through December 

 and the winter months. Consequently, the behavior of different 

 varieties when held continuously at 40° gives a very satisfactory 

 index of the behavior of these same varieties under good common- 

 storage conditions. The rates of softening of Yirginia-grown apple 

 varieties held continuously at 40° are shown graphically in Figure 

 12. It has not been possible to obtain satisfactory data on the be- 

 havior of varieties grown in other sections when held continuously 

 at 40°, because the fruit ripened so much while in transit to the 

 experimental storage plant at Kosslyn, Va., that the results obtained 

 from it are of little significance, and storage space at this tempera- 

 ture was not available where other work was being done. 



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Fig. 12. — Softening of Virginia-grown apples while in storage at 40° F., 1924-25 



It is apparent that the order of softening in fruit held at 40° F. 

 is approximately the same as in similar fruit held at 32°. Thus, 

 the four varieties, York Imperial, Winesap, Yellow Newtown, and 

 Arkansas {Mammoth Black Tivig), softened approximately at the 

 same rate, and a considerably longer period was required before 

 the fruit reached prime eating condition than in the other varieties 

 studied. These varieties did not reach prime eating condition until 

 about the end of December when held continuously at this tempera- 

 ture, and they remained in very good condition until the end of Feb- 

 ruary. The Ben Davis, Stayman Winesap, and Rome Beauty varie- 

 ties, which were somewhat softer when picked and softened some- 

 what more rapidly in storage, reached prime eating condition by the 

 middle of November and by the middle to the latter part of Decem- 

 ber were becoming very soft. King David and Grimes Golden 

 softened much more rapidly, reaching prime eating condition within 

 about a month and becoming full ripe to overripe before the middle of 

 November. Mcintosh grown in Virginia reached prime eating condi- 

 tion in less than a month from time of picking. Thus, it is evident 

 that for satisfactory holding at the best temperatures which can be 



