- 13 - 



The development of red color has be'n good (Table 2). It compares 

 quite favorably with Mcintosh harvested on Sept. 6 (Table 3). The bright 

 yellow ground color is attractive and contrasts well with the pink-red 

 color. Gala was harvested at several times during September and early 

 October. The optimum harvest, we believe, was September 17> although at 

 least one additional harvest would have been necessary to get poorly colored 

 fruit. Flesh firmness dropped the longer fruit were allowed to hang on the 

 tree, but the reduction was not as great as with Mcintosh. Fruit harvested 

 on October k were still quite firm and very crisp although fruit acid level 

 seemed quite low. 



Table 2. Fruit characteristics of Gala when harvested at different 

 times during the harvest season at the Horticultural 

 Research Center. 



Fruit Harvest Date 



characteristics Sept. 17 Sept. 25 Oct. 4 



Red color {%) 60 66 69 



Soluble sol ids {%) 11. '4 121 12.2 



Flesh firmness (lb) I6.5 15.1 1^.5 



Weight (g) 173 178 I88 



Table 3. Fruit characteristics of Mclntosh/M26 planted at the 

 Horticultural Research Center in 1976. 



Fruit , Harvest date 



characteristic Sept. I6 



Red color {%) 63 



Soluble sol ids {%) 11.6 



Flesh firmness ( lb) 15-8 



Fruit weight (g) 160 



