STORING 



63 



Large doors should be provided in each end. Refrigerator 

 doors may be desirable. A vestibule in front of each door 

 will prevent the sun from shining directly into the storage 

 and is important in both types of storage. Movable sills 

 may be placed at the bottom of doorways ; they may be raised 

 or taken out when loads are coming in. Windows should have 

 double sash, covered by sealed or battened hinged doors. 



Some authorities advise a cold-air intake near floor level, 

 20 by 30 inches, for each 2500 cubic feet of capacity and warm 

 air outlets in the roof providing 2 square feet of opening for 

 each 2500 cubic feet. Such outlets must be insulated and 

 equipped with closing devices. Two or three outlets would 

 be sufficient for the usual storage. 



A packing or work room may be provided in. the same 

 building but should be separated from the storage proper. 



(/) Operating the Storage Plant. Fruit brought in while 

 cool is in better condition for storage than that warmed by 

 the sun or stored in the heat of the day. A good plan, where 

 practicable, is to allow it to stand out over night, to be stored 

 in the morning while cool. A small room equipped with 

 mechanical refrigeration is useful in reducing the tempera- 

 ture of the fruit before placing it in the common storage 

 room. Stack the fruit, preferably in slatted crates, leaving 

 a space of 6 to 8 inches between the crates and the outer walls; 

 have corridors wherever needed. 



The apple box in common use is a good storage package 

 if slats are nailed on the tops of the boxes to provide some 

 ventilation between them. 



Ventilate the storage freely. Leave the doors of either type 

 of storage open whenever the outside temperature is lower 

 than the inside temperature, until the storage temperature is 

 close to freezing. In the cellar storage, ventilation should 

 be provided during the day, even when the weather is warm; 

 the warm air probably will affect the below-ground cellar 

 temperature but slightly because of the cool damp walls and 

 floor, and will provide the much-needed ventilation. Ground 



