PEAR GROWING IN CALIFORNIA. 391 



to pick 2^-ini'h pears it is simply necessary to use the other end of 

 the ring. 



Pears of the Bartlett variety are picked while to all outward appear- 

 ances they are perfectly green. It has been the contention of leading 

 Bartlett pear growers of California for years, that this variety is ready 

 to pick as soon as it attains a size of from 2J to 2J inches. Their con- 

 tention is partially borne out by an experiment carried on coopera- 

 tively between the Department of Chemistry of the University of Cali- 

 fornia and the State Commission of Horticulture.* In 1916 samples 

 of pears were collected in three different counties of the state, viz: 

 Placer, Contra Costa and Sacramento, at different times throughout the 

 ripening season. The samples were tested for sugar and acid when 

 received at Berkeley, and were then placed in storage and again tested 

 after ripening. It is not necessary to go into details regarding this experi- 

 ment here ; suffice it to say that the earliest picked fruit, which seemed 

 perfectly green when packed and shipped, ripened well and proved to 

 be practically, if not wholly, as good as fruit that was left on the trees 

 until practically ripe. In this respect the pear differs strikingly from 

 other fruits, and even though picked when the amateur would certainly 

 condemn it as being unfit for human consumption, the changes which 

 it undergoes after picking result in an increase of sugar, and as the 

 fruit colors a beautiful yellow, and remains solid without any shriveling, 

 in addition to having a good flavor, there can be no objection to picking 

 it. Just how green it can be removed from the trees and still ripen 

 satisfactorily is a question that is yet to be determined. No doubt in 

 time there will be some test other than that of size that will govern 

 the time of picking so that fruit may be at its very best when packed. 

 The experiment mentioned was conducted with pears of the Bartlett 

 variety and therefore does not apply to any other sort. 



After removing the fruit from the trees in the manner described it 

 should be carefully deposited in the picking sack, bucket or receptacle 

 used by the pickers. Careless pickers are apt to injure fruit so that it 

 will deteriorate quickly after packing and much stress should be laid 

 on careful handling. From the picking receptacle the pears are placed 

 in picking boxes, a supply of which should be conveniently located with 

 respect to the pickers. 



The loaded picking boxes, which are filled to a height just below the 

 top so that they can be stacked one upon the other without bruising the 

 fruit, are hauled to the packing sheds on low iron-wheeled or other 

 suitable wagons or sleds. In the packing shed they are stacked, one 

 upon the other, to a convenient height and conveniently located with 

 respect to the sorting and packing tables. The wise grower will place 

 much stress upon the convenience in arrangement of his packing shed. 

 Boxes are somewhat heavy to move and every step that can be saved in 

 their handling increases the returns to the grower. 



GRADING. 



It will be seen from the description given of the picking of Bartlett 

 pears that grading is really done in some cases at the time of picking. 

 In the latter part of the season, however, when all the fruit is ready 



*Article by W. V. Cruess, Monthly Bulletin, State Commission of Horticulture, 

 Vol. 5, No. 12, page 425. 



17S 



