The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1914-11-19
APPLE GROWERS
Strongly advised to Use Cold Storage


Strongly advised to Use Cold Storage.
In view of the interference with the
European market and the large produc-
ton Of American apples this season,
specialists of the U. S. Agricultural
department call the attention of apple
= growers to the advantages of cold storage
for steadying the market at harvest and
, for lengthening the selling period.
Cutting of the market will result, it
is feared, in many thousands of barrels
, of good apples rottlng IN the orchard or
/ being disposed of at prices which figure
: a net loss to the grower.
The following are the directions given
| by the apple handling specialists of the
department for using cold storage sue
cessfully in handling apples:
The proper function Of cold storage is
to retard Tie ripening processes Of the
fruit and the veloplnent of decay or
ganisms and skin blemishes. The first
responsibility for the keeping quality of
his fruit rests with the grower, since 1t
is his growing and handling methods that
largely determine it's vitality, freedom
from disease, and general condition when
stored. Cold storage is not remedy or
| restorative for poorly developed, weak,
imperfect fruit, but is the most effective
method of preserving the quality, flavor,
and appearance possessed by the fruit at
time of picking,
The first step in successful cold storage
of apples has been found to lie in the
practice of such cultural. spraying, and
pruning methods as insure production of
sound, healthy, well-colored fruit, free
from disease. Assuming this as the first
requisite, the following factors have been
found to most influence the keeping quail
ity of the fruit and furnish best condi-
, lions for long storage:
l. Proper maturity at time of picking
2. Care in all handling operations.
3. Prompt storage after picking.
4. A proper storage temperature.
Careful and extensive Investigations
have demonstrated that fruit picked at
full maturity can be held for a longer
period in storage, and is less affected by
scald and decay than that picked when
somewhat immature. Two important
commercial varieties, Rome Beauty and
Winesap, have been found to be espec-
tally susceptible to scald during storage,
if picked prematurely. There is no doubt
that several thousand dollars are lost to
the industry each year through the i'm
proper picking of these two varieties
alone. The results emphasize strongly
that more care and attention should be
paid to this detail of the harvesting op-
ration than is usually the case.
BY full maturity, however, is not
meant over-maturitY, which may cause
fully as heavy losses as immaturity.
Each grower should study his own fruit
70
mine the proper picking stage. Prob
of maturity is the whitening or slight
following OF the ''ground color" of the
fruit This is the color underlying the
blush or red color and should not be con-
fused with the latter.
CAREFUL HANDLING.
Care in all handling operations is the
second important requisite of successful
storage. A class of fungi, of which the
common blue mold is an example, are
known to be unable to attack and cause
decay of healthy, uninjured fruit. In
spite of this fact, very serious rots, both
in storage and in transit to market, are
the work of fungi of this type, and the
largest contributory cause In all cases is
bruising or skin breaking suffered by the
fruit in the picking and packing opera
tons. Microscopic bruises and breaks
in the skin are large enough to afford en-
trance to the spores of these fungi. and
the necessity for the utmost care in all
operations connected with the handling
of the fruit to avoid bruising and me-
chanical injuries is more urgent than
most growers realize.
PROMPT STORAGE.
There is marked difference in condi-
ton between fruitsstored promptly after
picking, say not more than two days
later, and otherwise comparable lots of
which the storage is delayed 10 days or 2
weeks. Such delay is especially injuri-
GUS during period of warm humid
weather. The delayed fruit at with
drawal from storage is ripper, yelower.
and duller than the corresponding ''im-
mediate" stored fruits, and in addition
| develops more serious scald and decay.
| The Importance of eliminating all avoid
able delay in storing can not be too
strongly emphasized.
| STORAGE TEMPERATURES.
| 81 to 80 degrees F. is the standard
storage temperature for apples. and this
has been found TO be the best for long
keeping of the fruit. Higher tempera-
lures permit the ripening of the fruit to
advance more rapidly than at 81 to 80
degrees F., with the result that the fruit
at these temperatures reached the end
of it's storage life much sooner.
In addition, the lower temperature
retards most effectively the develop
ment of fungous decay and skin blem-
ishes. For short storage period higher
temperatures may be used without seri-
GUS trouble, especially with the better
keeping varieties, but for long keeping
81 dogs. to 80 dogs. F. will best maintain
the color, quality, and texture of the
fruit.