Jan. s , 1924 
Physiological Studies on A pples in Storage 
17 
EFFECT OF DELAYED STORAGE UPON HARDNESS OF THE FRUIT 
A study of the data presented in Figures 6 to 11, inclusive, is interest¬ 
ing from the standpoint of the effect of delaying the time of storing after 
picking upon the keeping quality of the fruit. It is apparent that the 
fruit softens rapidly during this period and that throughout its storage 
life it remains much softer than fruit placed in storage immediately. 
Ramsey, et al. ( 24 ) have pointed out that apples so handled were usually 
softer, more yellow, and showed more decay when removed from storage 
than did similar fruit stored immediately. This is true for all varieties 
here studied, but is particularly marked for rapidly softening apples, 
such as Delicious, Rhode Island Greening, Jonathan, etc. These data 
are in full accord with the previous findings of Magness and Burroughs, 
who report that fruit in cellar storage in Pennsylvania (temperature 
range from 40° to 50° F.) reached full softness in from a month to six 
weeks’ time. 
These data all indicate clearly the importance of getting the fruit 
to cold storage as quickly as possible after picking if long holding is 
desired. Only when the fruit is cooled will the softening processes be 
checked. A temperature of 36° F. will apparently cause most varieties 
to soften approximately twice as rapidly as 32 °, while 70° will cause 
softening to proceed from 5 to 15 times as rapidly as will 32 0 . 
EFFECT OF TYPE OF PACKAGE AND VENTILATION UPON RATE OF SOFTENING 
OF APPLES 
Magness and Burroughs found no variation in the rate of softening 
of eight varieties of apples held in rooms at 32 0 F. continuously ventilated 
• with outside air as compared with similar apples held in a room at the 
same temperature not ventilated but with good natural air movement 
within the room. Similarly, they found no variation in rate of softening 
in different packages when tests on the fruit with skin removed were com¬ 
pared. These tests included fruit stored in open crates, in wrapped boxes, 
and in barrels. Apparently because of wilting, fruit with skin intact 
was harder in the more open packages. 
Tests have been repeated for the relative rates of softening of apples 
in different packages; with results similar to those reported by Magness 
and Burroughs. These results are summarized in Table I. 
From the data in Table I it is apparent that there was no consistent 
difference in hardness of the fruit depending upon type of package. 
It should be stated that the oiled paper wraps used on the fruit in these 
tests were rather small in size, and that there was no appreciable transfer 
of oil from the wraps to the surface of the fruit. There is a widespread 
belief among commercial apple handlers that oil paper wraps result in 
slower ripening of the fruit. This will be further discussed under the 
subject of oil, wax, or paraffin coatings. It is apparent from the results 
here recorded, however, together with results previously reported by 
Magness and Burroughs, that so long as the surface of the fruit is not 
coated with any material which inhibits gaseous exchanges the rate of 
softening of the fruit under commercial storage conditions is not appre¬ 
ciably affected by ventilation, type of package, etc. Temperature 
apparently is the one controlling factor in determining the rate of soften¬ 
ing of the fruit, if held under conditions of normal respiration. 
73430—24-2 
