assess waxing done just before marketing as well as waxing done 

 prior to storage. 'Mcintosh' were evaluated for weight loss, ap- 

 pearance, firmness, ground color, and brown core (after storage). 

 'Delicious' were assessed for weight loss, appearance and firmness, 

 and also for the loss of watercore and development of internal 

 breakdown during and following storage. 'Golden Delicious' were 

 evaluated only for weight loss and appearance. The results of the 

 tests were as follows. 



'Mcintosh ' : Waxing greatly enhanced the glossiness of Mcin- 

 tosh apples and this effect persisted throughout the tests--even 

 after 4 months of storage followed by 12 days at 75 F. In addition, 

 it reduced weight loss of the fruit. Waxed apples evaluated immed- 

 iately lost about one-third less moisture than non-waxed fruit dur- 

 ing extended exposure to high temperature-low humidity conditions 

 (Table 1). At the end of this test, there were about twice as many 

 shriveled fruit in the non-waxed as in the waxed lots. However, 

 during storage at low temperature and high humidity, the waxing did 

 not reduce moisture loss, and after storage its reduction of mois- 

 ture loss was consistent but small. Thus, on 'Mcintosh' the waxing 

 did reduce shrinkage under extended adverse conditions, with the 

 effect being greater on freshly harvested than on stored fruit. 

 However, waxing did not reduce shrinkage during storage. 



An additional benefit from waxing was a delayed yellowing of 

 the fruit (Table 1). After 12 days at 75 F, waxed apples were no 

 more yellow than were non-waxed ones after 6 days at 75 . After 

 storage and 12 days at 75 , waxed apples were no more yellow than 

 the non-waxed ones had been immediately after storage. Toward the 

 end of the tests, the waxed samples were easily distinguishable 

 from the non-waxed ones on the basis of ground color. There was no 

 effect of waxing on fruit firmness or on the incidence of brown 

 core after storage. There was a greater percentage of decay in the 

 waxed samples than in the unwaxed ones, perhaps due to physical 

 damage incurred during the handling and waxing procedures. 



' Ri chared Del i ci ous ' : The effects of waxing on appearance 

 and weight loss of 'Delicious' were similar to the effects on 'Mc- 

 intosh.' Waxing greatly increased glossiness of the apples and 

 moisture loss from waxed ones was considerably reduced at high tem- 

 perature and low humidity shortly after harvest (Table 2). There 

 was no difference in shrinkage between waxed and unwaxed fruit dur- 

 ing storage, and differences following storage were small. Waxing 

 had no evident effect on ground color or firmness of 'Delicious,' 

 and it did not affect either loss of watercore or development of 

 internal breakdown during or following storage. 



' Golden Delicious ': Waxing of 'Golden Delicious' apples re- 

 duced weight loss considerably at 75 F and 45% R.H., but the fruit 

 still lost so much moisture that shriveling occurred quickly. After 

 only 3 days, many of both the waxed and unwaxed 'Golden Delicious' 

 were noticeably shriveled and all deteriorated quickly. 



