Winter M eel ill i 



291 



and that the fruit can he held nmcli later in the spring in the smaller 

 package as the weight of the fruit itself may cause it to bruise in the 

 harrel after it hegins to mellow. 



INFLUENCE OF WKAPPEU ON KEEPING (JUALITV. 



It has been found that a fruit wrapper may influence the keeping 

 quality in several ways. It appears to retard the normal ripening of the 

 fruit and thereby extends its life history. The wrappers are usually use- 

 ful in extending the season of early winter sorts, or in making the long 

 keeping varieties available beyond the usual period of storage. 



The greatest value in the wrapper appears to follow the protection 

 that it gives the apple against bruising and the discoloration that may 

 result from improper jDacking or rough handling, but especially in pre- 

 venting the transfer of rot of one apple to another. If the fim.gus is 

 capable of growing in the storage temperature, it is not likely that the 

 wrapper retards its growth, but it confines the spores, when they develop, 

 within their wrapper, and their dissemination is difficult or impossible. 



The importance of a w-rapper in protecting the fruit from decay is 

 brought out by the following table : 



.\^roL"yT of decayed fruit apkil 29, 1903, in p/jshel packages. 



Variety. 



Newspaper 

 wrapped. 



Unwrapped. 



Baker 



Dickensna 



Mcintosh 



Mcintosh (second lot). 



Northern Spy 



Wagener 



Wealthy 



Per cent. 



27.3 



W.O 

 32.0 

 52.0 

 6,S.O 

 60.0 



The double wrapper is more efificient in retarding ripening than a 

 single wrapper. A good ccmhination consists of porous newspaper next 

 to the fruit with an impervious wax or paraffin wrapper on the outside. 



From the commercial standpoiiit it would not be profitable to wrap 

 the common grades of fruit, but for the finest grades, and for the tender 

 varieties like Mclnlosh, Wealthy, Northern Spy, Bellefleur, Jonathan and 

 Grimes, it is probable that no operation connected with the packing of 

 the fruit would bring greater returns. 



KEHAVIOK OF THE FRUIT WHEN REMOVED FRO:\I STORAGE. 



There is a general impression that cold storage apples deteriorate 

 quickly after removal from the warehouse. As a matter of fact, how- 

 ever, storage apples do not deteriorate more quickly than other apples 



