-3- 



Fruit of 25 different growers were analyzed for mechanical injury, grade and 

 condition. The fruit examined were those the growers considered to be U. S. Fancy 

 or better. Many growers had marked their fruit U. S. No. 1 although they felt it 

 to be of U. S. Fancy quality, ^he average of 29 different fruit samples revealed 

 that only 6.67, of the fruit was U. S. No. 1 quality. This percentage was so Jow I 

 that the practice of marking apples U. S. No. 1 as a precaution against faulty i 

 sorting would seem to be an unnecessary down-grading of the fruit in many instances. 

 For the Mcintosh variety, the grade requirements for U. S. Fancy and U. S. No. 1 

 differ in only two respects - amount of typical color required and a minor differ- \ 

 ence as to the amount of russetting allowed. The color requirement of U. S. Fancy 

 Mcintosh is 33 per cent and for U. S. No. 1 it is 25 per cent. 



The study revealed no apparent relationship between the use of grading machines I 

 and hand sorting and sizing, with regard to the amount of damage found in the samples. ' 

 It is evident that apples can be sorted and sized with the aid of machinery without 

 significant bruising. 



Apples in polyethylene bags at the packing plants and in nearby roadside stands 

 had considerably less damage due to bruising and broken skin than apples found in 

 peach baskets. This may have been due to extra care in handling of the apples placed 

 in polyethylene bags or to lower standards for the baskets. Quality standards for 

 apples in peach baskets needs to be stressed if this package is to retain public favor. 



The noticeable development of marginal softening or decay at the edges of cracks 

 and stem punctures indicated the necessity of close watch of packed fruit stored or 

 held at room temperature. It also re-emphasized the necessity of a realistic appraisal 

 of the risk of decay from any type of broken skin. Fresh stem punctures continue to 

 be a common cause of damage . 



There exists a noticeable variance of practice in regard to color standards for 

 striped apples. Color requirements for grades permit a wide variation in appearance 

 between an apple with striped color and one with solid color. A striped apple should 

 have twice the area with striped coloration in order to have nearly as good an appear- 

 ance as the blush type. It is assumed that the striped coloration or the blush color 

 on the apples is a good shade of red characteristic of the variety. The grading 

 practices of the growers in regards to color varied in relation to the color of the 

 apples being packed. Close adherence to color standards does not provide packs of 

 similar attractiveness. 



---W. J. Lord 

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



NEWER FRUIT VARIETIES WORTHY OF TRIAL 



The following report briefly describes the newer fruit varieties under test 

 in the University plantings that are worthy of trial by commercial growers and 

 home gardeners . 



