BULLETIN OF THE 
No. 35 
Contribution from the Bureau of Plant Industry, Wm. A. Taylor, Chief 
December 31, 1913. 
FACTORS GOVERNING THE SUCCESSFUL STORAGE 
OF CALIFORNIA TABLE GRAPES. 1 
By A. V. Stubenrauch, Pomologist and Horticulturist, and C. W. Mann, 
Assistant Pomologist in Fruit-Transportation and Storage Investigations. 
INTRODUCTION. 
During the past seven years the Bureau of Plant Industry has been 
engaged in a study of the behavior of California table grapes in 
storage, the primary object for which the work was undertaken being 
the determination of the possibility of extending the territory over 
which these grapes may be distributed, as well as of lengthening their 
marketing season. Under existing conditions of storage, transporta- 
tion, and marketing, the major portion of the California grape crop 
must be marketed within six weeks or two months after picking, and 
any great increase in output during such a limited season is likely to 
result in a glutted market and low prices. Present prospects indi- 
cate a large increase in production during the next 5 or 10 years; 
in fact, were the entire acreage in California now planted with table 
grapes to come into full bearing within the next five years it is esti- 
mated that the output would be nearly doubled. Table I shows the 
growth of the California table-grape industry during the past 11 
years. 
1 The investigations summarized in this paper were carried on during seven con- 
secutive seasons, beginning in 1906. The work may be considered as an example of the 
successful demonstration and application under actual commercial conditions of 
principles and practices developed from cai'eful observation and experimentation. The 
results in so far as the preliminary experimental phases of the work were concerned 
were ready for publication several years ago. It was felt, however, that unless an actual 
demonstration of the application of the principles under commercial shipping, storing, 
and marketing conditions could be accomplished under the supervision of the Depart- 
mental workers the industry would not accept or utilize the results in any effective way. 
The successful packing, storing, and marketing of grapes handled in accordance with the 
results of the work during two seasons give assurance that this system will become a 
permanent feature of the California table-grape industry. The important commercial 
test of 1912, comprising more than 30 carloads of fruit, was made possible by the con- 
signments supplied by the following growers : A. H. Backer, Backer Bros. Vineyard, 
P. M. Baier, Steve Baker, Eisen Vineyard, Gunn Vineyard, Lines & Anderson, N. M. 
Miller, J. F. Putnam, Redbanks Orchard Co., G. C. Hooding, and M. M. Shooshan. 
Throughout the seven seasons during which the work was in progress, the successful 
prosecution of the experiments was largely due to the hearty cooperation afforded by a 
large number of growers of table grapes in California. — Wm. A. Taylor, Chief of Bureau, 
11971°— Bull. 35—13 1 
