HORTICULTURE 189 



longer than those marketed in a thoroughly ripened condition, they 

 soon begin to deteriorate if held for any considerable length of time. 



Harvesting. In harvesting early apples careful hand picking 

 is practiced by a majority of the most successful growers. A few 

 firm-fleshed varieties, the fruit of which ripens irregularly and drops 

 as soon as it is well colored and fully ripe, are sometimes allowed to 

 drop their fruit. If there is danger of the apples being bruised by 

 striking the ground, a heavy mulch of straw is spread beneath the 

 trees. But many of the most particular growers prefer to hand pick 

 even these sorts, though it is rather laborious to do so on account of 

 the ripe fruits being much scattered over the trees. 



Some of the less exacting growers shake the fruit from the trees 

 or beat it off with poles, claiming that the difference in price between 

 the carefully handled fruit and the fruit handled by their method 

 is not enough to justify the extra expense of hand picking. It should 

 be noted, however, in this connection, that careless or rough handling 

 of fruit in harvesting often accompanies indifferent methods of cul- 

 ture. The grade of the fruit grown frequently determines the ex- 

 pense that is justifiable in preparing it for market. 



The period of growth from blossoming to maturity is relatively 

 short, and the changes which occur in the development of the fruit 

 take place with corresponding rapidity. It may be only a very short 

 time, as measured by days, between a date when an apple is too 

 immature to pick and the period when it becomes overripe. Because 

 of this, several pickings of most varieties are usually made, as in 

 picking peaches. 



Grading and Packing. In the marketing of early apples the 

 details of grading and packing require the same painstaking atten- 

 tion that the successful marketing of other quickly perishable fruits 

 demand. Fruit that is bruised should be discarded. Though it 

 may not appear to be defective when it is packed, bruises and other 

 similar blemishes, especially in case of certain varieties, become very 

 conspicuous after the fruit has been picked a short time. Even if it 

 looks well when packed, such fruit is likely to deteriorate greatly be- 

 fore it reaches the market. 



Some of the early apples are prepared for market in the 

 orchards, but most of them are taken to packing houses, where they 

 can be more conveniently handled. 



Packages. Several different styles of packages are used for 

 early apples, of which the following are the most important. In 

 some sections the %-bushel crate, formerly much used for ship- 

 ping peaches, was commonly used in the earlier years and is still 

 seen occasionally, though it has passed out of general use. 



The growers in the New Jersey section who market their fruit 

 in Philadelphia use the half-bushel peach basket, usually without 

 covers. In other important sections a %-bushel basket with cover 

 has been used for several years with excellent satisfaction. 



A few growers pack their fancy fruit in six-basket carriers and 

 find that for some markets it pays to incur the additional expense 

 which this style of package makes necessary. Twenty-pound Climax 

 baskets are also used occasionally. 



