496 Journal of Agricultural Research voi. xix, No. 10 



The variations in the length of time required for the fruit from the 

 different locaHties to become ripe in 40° F. storage may be due in part 

 to the different lengths of time spent in transit to place of storage. 



From this it is apparent that the results attained are similar to those 

 found by other investigators — namely, that at the higher temperatures 

 of storage, early picking gave somewhat longer keeping time than later 

 picking. It has been impossible in this work to determine the relative 

 keeping time at temperatures lower than 40° F. because of the necessity 

 of removing the fruit from storage before it reached a full ripe condi- 

 tion. 



At the 40° F. storage it was found, however, that the early fruits 

 tended to scald and become brown rather than to ripen in good condi- 

 tion, while the later pickings ripened to full yellow and prime condition 

 with practically no scald. Another very important observation was that 

 although late-picked fruit tends to become yellow more quickly than 

 early picked lots, it remains in firm, prime eating condition for a much 

 longer period after becoming yellow than the fruit picked early. 



GENERAI^ DISCUSSION OF RESULTS AS APPLIED TO COMMERCIAL 



HANDLING 



The disposition of the commercial pear crop of the Pacific coast may 

 be grouped under three divisions, which include practically the entire 

 output — namely, (i) fresh shipment, for consumption as fresh fruit or 

 for home canning; (2) commercial canning; and (3) drying or dehydra- 

 tion. The method of handling must, of necessity, be varied consider- 

 ably, depending upon which of these methods of marketing is to be 

 followed. 



When pears are to be shipped fresh, certain factors other than those 

 which determine the very highest quality of fruit must be considered. 

 Fruit picked comparatively early in the season will remain sound some- 

 what longer, even at the lowest temperatures that it is possible to secure 

 while the fruit is in transit, than will that picked too late; and this 

 must always be an important consideration in determining the time to 

 pick for fresh shipment. It must be remembered, however, that late- 

 picked fruit is richer in sugar and of much higher dessert quality than 

 fruit picked and shipped very early. Furthermore, while late-picked 

 fruit, especially in the relatively high temperatures necessary in cars 

 in transit, comes to prime eating condition in a shorter length of time, 

 it remains in prime condition for a longer period, a consideration of 

 much importance to the retail trade. 



In the cannery and dehydrated fruit trades, it is possible to sacrifice 

 something in keeping quality for a higher dessert quality product. 

 Most of the fruit is utilized near the point of production. In the can- 

 nery industry the largest problem is to secure a good product and at the 



