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N. T E • 



Special Circular No. 254 "Preharvest Drop Control of Apples" has been revised 

 and is now available from your local county agent or the Mailing Room, University 

 of Massachusetts, Aaherst. 



---Editor 



I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I 



ARE YOU READY FOR HARVEST? 



Do you have your supply of Special Circulars #245 and i^lkol 



Special Circular #24C titled "Be A Better Apple Picker" should be read by 

 all your apple pickers and can be used as a guide when your foreman shows inexper- 

 ienced pickers how to pick properly and avoid bruising. 



The foreman of the picking crew has the responsibility of supervising the 

 harvest operation in order that fruit gets from the tree to the storage \7ith 

 the minimum of bruising. Special Circular #245 titled "Harvesting Suggestions 

 for Orchard Foremen" lists suggested harvesting pointers that should be shown 

 and told to pickers. 



Copies of the tvro Special Circulars mentioned above may be obtained through 

 your County Extension Service or the Mailing Room, University of Massachusetts, 

 Amherst , 



Have you, thp. oTTOcr, made the necessary preparations for harvest? 



1. Inventoried all harvesting equipment. 



2. Repaired harvesting equipment, 



3. Provided for good harvesting supervision. 



4. Provided adequate toilet facilities. 



5. Made provisions for supply cool and conveniently located drinking 

 water. 



0. Analysed the proposed methods of handling the apples from tree to 



storage in order to increase efficiency and storage life of the fruit. 



The results of the Packing House Survey conducted during the winter of 1955- 

 1956 showed that mechanical injury amounted to 61 per cent of the total cauee of. 

 apples being below the grade of U.S. Fancy. 



Considerable mechanical injury occurs during the harvesting operation. One 

 way to minimize this is to make pickers quality conscious. 



