59 



Fahrenheit, or as near as possible to 32 degrees, to market fruit in first-class con- 

 dition, free from rot, in April, May, or even June. Only prime apples will keep 

 so long, and while in storage must be under observation so that they do not over- 

 ripen in the barrel. 



Many of the fungus decays have their progress quite arrested at 32 degrees F., 

 though black mould and soft rot, or blue mould, keep on growing slowly. Cold 

 storage fruit when properly ripened keeps better than if stored before real maturity. 

 Ripe fruit is notably less hurt by brown scald in which the natural ferments are 

 supposed to cause the discoloration. 



Powell shows by the following table that wrapping fruit helps to preserve it 

 against decay. Wrapped and unwrapped fruit were kept at 31 to 32 degrees F. 

 from the time it matured till the twenty-ninth of April following. 



Amount of Decay Noted on April 29th of Fruit Stored Previous Fail 



in Bushel Packages : 



Variety Wrapped in Newspaper, Unwrapped 



per cent, decay per cent, decay 



Mcintosh Red (a) 



Mcintosh Red (b) 



Northern Spy 



Wagener 



Wealthy 



It should then be worth while to remember in regard to our standard fruit, 

 the apple, that fungous diseases may be arrested or prevented by rapid cooling and 

 storage at freezing point, or thereabouts ; that it should be matured and properly 

 colored, though not overgrown, to give the best keeping and market quality ; that 

 the best fruit is got by picking over the tree several times ; that the best of grading 

 and packing is desirable ; that delay before storing, or allowing apples to heat, 

 hastens rotting ; that repacking is to be avoided ; and that fruit keeps best in 

 small closed packages where it cools quickly. Lastly, a fruit wrapper retards 

 ripening, preserves color and firmness, and prevents the spread of fungous spores. 



