The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-10-05
ADVISED TO USE COLD STORAGE
Method for Keeping Apples and PrOlong'
ing Marketing Period.

! In view OF tho interference with the
European market and the large produc-
tion of American apples this season, spe-
cialsts OF the department OF agriculture
call the attention of applegrower. 10
the advantages of cold storag
steadying the market at harvest anu n.
lengthening the selling period.
Cutting of the market will result, il
is feared, in many thousands OF barrels
of good apples rotting 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 the ripening processes of the
fruit and the development of decay or.
ganisms and skin blemishes. The first
responsibility for the keeping quality OF
his fruit rests with the grower, since it
is his growing and handling methods
that largely determine its vitality, free
dom from disease, and general condition
when stored. Cold storage is not rem
edy, or a restorative for poorly devcl-
oped, 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 stor-
age of apples has been found to lie in
the practice of such cultural, spraying
and pruning methods as insure produc
ton of sound healthy. wel-colored fruit,
free from disease. Assuming this as the
first requisite. the following factors have
been found to most influence the keeping |
quality of the fruit, and furnish best
conditions for long storage:
|. Proper maturity at time Of pick
ng.
2. Care in all handling operations.
3. Prompt storage after picking.
4. A proper storage temperature.
Maturity Tests.
Careful and extensive Investigations
ave demonstrated that fruit picked at
ull maturity can be held for a longer
eriod in storage, and is less affected By
cald and decay than that picked when
omewhat immature. Two important
varieties, Rome Beauty and
yinesap have been found to be especial
Y susceptible to scald during storage,
picked prema turely There is no. doubt
hat several thousand dollars are lost to
he industry each year through the inn
roper picking of these two varieties
lone. The results emphasize strongly
nat more care and attention should be
aid to this detail of the harvesting OBJ
-ations than is usually the case.
pty f,,11 is
lean over maturity, which may cause
lily as heavy losses as maturity.
ach grower should study his own fruit
nd his own conditions in order to deter
inc the proper picking stage. Probably I
Re most reliable single indication OF
aturing is the whitening or slight yell
wing of the ground color" of the fruit.
his is the color underlying the blush 4
red color and should not be confused d
it'll the latter.
Careful Handling.
Care in all handling operations is the
cond important requisite OF successful
orage A class of fungi of which the
mmon blue mold is an example, are
Town to be unable 10 attack and cause
cay of healthy, uninjured fruit. In
lite of this fact very serious rots both
storage and in transit TO market are
e work of fungi Of this type, and the
rgest contributory cause in all cases
bruising or skin breaking suffered by n
e fruit in the picking and packing OPP +
atoms Microscopic bruises and breaks
the skin are large enough to afford
trance TO the spores of these fungi in
d the necessity for the utmost care in as
operations connected with the hand Is
& of the fruit to avoid brusng and hi
,chanical injuries is more urgent than
,st growers realize. NJ
Prompt Storage.
-, AT