Farm and Garden.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 441, 29 September 1904, Page 2

Farm and Garden.

ORIGINAL ARTICLES, COLD STORAGE OF FRUIT. |j§j§N studying the influence of tem-fc llfl P«ature* on Borne kinds of fruit, 9§j| duplicate series of apples alnd pears were placed in a storehouse where the temperature was thirty-two degrees in one section and thirty-Biz in another; also peaches in thirty-two, thirty-Biz, and forty degrees. The lower temperature in all cases prodnced the best commercial results. In thirty-two degrees temperature various varieties of apples were kept for three months longer, some pears stored &s soon as picked, in autumn, were in prime condition the following spring, but in thirty-six degrees had reached their commercial limit. Lees than three months after storing another variety of pears were hard and unchanged at the end of four weaks, and then became soft three weeks afterwards in thirty-six degrees temperature. Peaches remained apparently unchanged for four weeks in a temperature of thirtytwo degrees | another lot at thirty-six degrees began to soften -at the end of two weeks, and at forty degrees had reached their commercial limit at the end of one week, There is a general impression that the more tender fruits, as the peach and some kinds of pears, are injured by low temperature, and that the lower the temperature the quicker the fruit deteriorates. The results of these investigations indicate that such impressions are fallacious. These experiments and observations indicate that quality is influenced by the improper distribution of products like onions, cabbage, celery, citius fruits and the like, in same or connecting rooms, and especially if the air of the room is be.dlj managed. The effect is more marked in the higher temperatures. It is least serious with apples and worst with peaches. There is no information at present that shows an is jury to quality by the low temperature itself. Apples, pears, and peaches, if taken from the storage room in fine condition, appear to stand as. well as fruit in ordinary storage at the same degree of ripeness, and in the same outside temperature. The impression that cold storage fruit deteriorates quickly is due largely to the common practice of leaving the £?uit until it is not safe to store longer, and also to the fact that pears, peache?, and apples, if removed from cold etorage late in spring, aro immediately subjected to warm weather and the sudden change acts injuriously. A wrapper of tif sue, parchment, paraffin or even newspaper prolongs the storage season of winter apples and late keeping pears, It preserves their fresh appearances, prevents the accumulation of mold on the stem or at the oalix, lessens the decay and prevents evaporation from fruit in low temperatures. There does not seem much difference in the efficiency of the various wrappers, For- fancy stock, for long keeping the use of the fruit wrapper is worthy of commercial consideration. The kind of package influences the behaviour cf the fruit in storage; a tight package like a barrel is which thera is a considerable bulk of fruit retains the heat in the centre of 'the package from one to two weaks, depending on the temperature at which the fruit enters the storage housa. Fruits, like Borne kinds of pears, which ripen quickly continue to ripen in the centre of the barrel, after the outside has -cooled down, with the practical result of forming a core ,of ripe fruit through the package. The investigations show that the barrel should not be continued for that kind of fruit; on* the other hand pears in a small package like a bushel box or crate, especially if it is open, cool down more quickly and uniformly and remain uniform. The slow ripening winter apples are not injured so seriously in this regard, but even with that fruit injury in the centre of the package is not uncommon, especially if the fruit enters the room in a hot condition. The bushel box or crate overcomes the difficulty, and Will grow in favour as the commercial package for the fancy grades of apples. There is ranch controversy over the merits cf closed and ventilated packages for the storage house, but it can be said to bo a safe principle that a small ventilated package ie advantageous for fruit like peaches and psars that ripen quickly and are stored for a short period of lima For long-keeping fruits, like the apple, the ventilated package allows evaporation to take place from the fruits, and may cause serious icjury. With present knowledge the ideal package would seem to be one that allowed the freest circulation of the cold asr tbroagh the fruit as soon as it enters storage, and could be tightly closed a 5 aosn as the temperature is reduced.