- 2 - 



Take your E bonds to the bank and ask to EXCHANSE them for H bonds. (You 

 must have at least $500 worth, cash value). Remember, you don't want to redeem 

 them and buy H bonds with the money. It must be a straight swap to get the tax 

 deferment privilege. With the new H bonds, you'll start getting an Interest 

 check from the Treasury each six months. This, of course, must be reported as 

 income each year. BUT - the interest you earned on the E bonds over the years 

 need not be reported for tax purposes until the H bonds are cashed or mature. 



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



PEAR RIPENING 



In contrast to many fruits, pears must be harvested while immature and 

 ripened off the tree in order to have potentially good eating quality. One of 

 the problems with pears is the development of a system of handling them which 

 will result in a good edible product for the consimier. 



If the consumer purchases green, immature pears from a grower and has re- 

 ceived no instructions concerning the proper procedure for ripening the fruit, 

 the chances of these pears reaching a good edible condition are not high. How 

 then should pears be handled so that good pears will eventually reach prime 

 eating quality? 



Pears are best ripened at temperatures between 65 and 72^. in a humid at- 

 mosphere (about 90% relative humidity). Holding pears below this temperature is 

 not harmful (unless stored for too many weeks at cold storage temperature) but 

 merely slows the rate of ripening. Temperatures of SO*^, or above may be quite 

 damaging* With Bartlett, for example, the fruit may retain its greenish cast 

 and never develop a good yellow color when ripened at such high temperatures. 

 The flesh may become somewhat dry and mealy, and subject to internal breakdown 

 around the core. Consequently, pears should be held in a relatively cool place 

 on hot days in August and September, when attempting to ripen them. Pears will 

 ripen more uniformly when held together in a box since the ethylene produced by 

 one or two riper pears will stimulate the ripening of the less mature fruit. 

 The inclusion of a ripe apple or two in each box will provide such a source of 

 ethylene, also, and hasten the uniform ripening of all the pears in a box. 

 Usually noticeable ripening will be evident within two or three days at 65 to 

 72°F. 



In order to maintain a high hvmiidity around the fruit while the pears are 

 being ripened, it may be simplest to pick the fruit into polyethylene lined 

 boxes as is now being done by some growers of Golden Delicious apples to prevent 

 fruit shrivel. These liners should be loosely folded over the top of the fruit 

 and not sealed. By so doing a high humidity will be maintained without greatly 

 influencing the carbon dioxide or oxygen level within the liner. 



If the grower pre-ripens pears before selling them, he should recognize 

 that they cannot be held even under refrigeration, for more than a few days, 

 once they are eating ripe. Consequently, ripened pears must be moved quickly. 



If one prefers to have the consumer ripen the pears after they are purchased 



