CHAPTER XIV 



Ripening, Gathering, Handling and Marketing 

 the Fruit 



Tomatoes ripen and color from within outward and 

 they will acquire full and often superior color, partic- 

 ularly about the stems, if, as soon as they have ac- 

 quired full size and the ripening process has fairly com- 

 menced, they are picked and spread out in the sun- 

 shine. The point of ripeness when they can be safely 

 picked is indicated by the surface color changing from 

 a dark green to one of distinctly lighter shade with 

 a very light tinge of pink. Fruit picked in this stage 

 of maturity may be wrapped in paper and shipped 

 1,000 or 2,000 miles and when unwrapped after two 

 or ten days' journey will be found to have acquired 

 a beautiful color, often even more brilliant than that 

 of a companion fruit left on the vine. Enclosing the 

 fruit while on the vine and about half grown in paper 

 bags has been recommended, and it often results in 

 deeper and more even coloring and prevents injury 

 from cracking, but the fruit so ripened, while more 

 beautiful, is not so well flavored as that ripened in 

 the sun. But Americans are said to taste with their 

 eyes, so that in this country, fruit of this beautiful 

 color will often out-sell that which is of better flavor 

 though of duller color. 



The tomato never acquires its full and most perfect 

 flavor except when ripened on the vine and in full 



90 



