- J- 



POMOLOGICAL PARAGRAPH 



Large Apple s Have No Place in Polyethylene Bags 



At a. recent Marketing Committee Meeting of the Massachusetci Fruit Growers 

 Association there was a discussion of how to handle large size apples, especially 

 Mcintosh. After considerable talk by committee members who arc pickers and after 

 seeing and hearing reports by Fred Cole and Bill Lord (See Table below) it was 

 unanimously agreed that 3" Macs do not belong in poly bags. Tn.-j- bruise, break 

 down and generally discourage repeat sales for Macs. 



The best solutions offered were cell cartons or overwrap trays. However, 

 in the case of the trays, it was urj^ed that packers remember that overwrapping is 

 expensive, the apples are brought for eating out of hand, and that Mrs. Consumer 

 expects to pay more for them; thertifore, nothing should happen to down-grade 

 the fruit in these packages. 



The following table from a recent study by F. E. Cole and W. J. Lord 

 (Selling Apples to Retail Food Stores - Publication 380) substantiates the 

 statements above. 



Table 1. Relationship between fruit size of Mcintosh apples in retail stores and 

 per cent of apples below U. S. No. 1 grade because of bruises, November 

 and December 1960. 



Size (In c hes) 



Over 3 inch 

 3 inch 

 2 3/4 inch 

 2 1/2 inch 

 2 1/4 inch 



Per Cent 

 i_n Grade 

 ■ 36.4% 

 46.8% 

 50.2% 

 60.3% 

 78.5% 



Per Cent of 

 Apples Below 

 Grade Because 



of Bruises 



85.7% 

 67 . 1% 

 63 . 2% 

 51.0% 

 35.0% 



— Marketing Committee 



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



THE HARVEST AND STORAGE OF DELICIOUS APPLES 



Water core and internal breakdown of Delicious apples was a major problem 

 during the 1962-1963 storage season. Because of the prevalence of water core 

 at harvest, some growers did not hold some lots of Delicious for late storage. 

 As the storage season progressed, it became apparent that these growers made a 

 wise decision and avoided considerable financial loss. 



