eighteen orchards shov;s that these mechanical blemishes were twice as serious on 

 the apples when taken from storage as compared with those at harvest. In some 

 orchards this increase was relatively small while in others it was excessive. 



2o That there was a decided increase in the percent of apples in the class- 

 ification "Few small bruises'". While such bruises are of minor importance since 

 they would not affect the grade, the percentage increase in small bruises shows 

 that, in most orchards, the method of handling from orchard to packing house 

 could be improved, 



3. That, on the average, there was a particularly large increase in the 

 type of bruises which Vi/ould affect the grade and thus decrease material I3' the 

 value of the crop, 



4. That the percentage increase in skin punctures was about the same as the 

 percentage increase in bruises. 



5. That in the combined samples of 9,000 apples from eighteen orchards the 

 number of 3/4" bruises and 1" bruises was in each case approximately twice as 

 many when removed from storage as when harvested. In a few instances the number 

 of the larger bruises was less on apples taken from storage compared with those 

 examined when harvested. This apparent discrepancy was presumably due to the 

 Scimple that happened to be chosen in each case. 



Considering the number and types of orchards and the size of the sample, 

 it may reasonably be assumed that the marked increase in bruises and skin 

 punctures from harvest to packing house found in the orchards studied is the 

 situation that exists in general for all orchards in the State. 



If there are any lessons to be learned from this study some at least are as 

 follows: 



1. In general, there is altogether too much bruising occurring from the 

 time apples are harvested until they reach the packing house. 



2. Most pickers cause less bruising than the handlers of the apples after 

 they are picked. 



3o It would pay a grower to make random bruise counts at various stages in 

 the movement of apples from orchard to the shipping platform of the packing 

 house so as to determine the extent of bruising and where it is occurring. 



4, The importance of reducing the number of bruises and skin punctures can 

 be reduced to a dollars and cents basis by accepting a few well founded assumptions 

 as follows: 



