4 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 360 



Time of Harvesting in Relation to Storage 



Success in the storage of apples depends to a large extent upon the stage of 

 maturity of the fruit when it goes into storage. For best results apples should be 

 mature but not overripe. If immature, the\- lack good quality', are more sus- 

 ceptible to scald, and tend to wither more readily than when fully mature. If 

 overripe, they break down more quickh , and thus the length of time that they 

 may be kept in storage is shortened. 



Methods that are commonly used for determining the proper time for harvest- 

 ing are: 



1. Change in ground color. 



The term "ground color" refers to the green portions of the skin. As apples 

 approach maturity the ground color changes from a deep green to greenish 

 yellow. This is one of the most valuable indicators of maturity-. 



2. The ease with which the fruit separates from the spur. 



This condition is most commonly noted b\ the amount of dropping, and is 

 usually a reliable indicator. It is not entireh- dependable, as some varieties such 

 as Cortland will hang to the tree after the optimum picking condition has passed 

 while other v^arieties may "drop" prematureh'. The time and amount of drop- 

 ping may also be affected by weather conditions prior to the harvesting season. 

 However, as a rule, when apples begin to drop, they may be considered as having 

 reached the optimum picking condition. With varieties which drop freely, such 

 as the Mcintosh, it is often necessary to start picking before any marked dropping 

 occurs in order to finish harvesting the crop before too many of the apples are 

 on the ground. 



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Mr 



Figure 1. Pressure Tester. 



Courtesy of D. Ballauf Mfg. Co., Wa.shington, D. C. 



3. Firmness of the flesh. 



Experienced growers usually determine this by pressing the fruit with the 

 thumb. A more accurate measure of firmness of the flesh may be made by a 

 pressure tester. Apples that are to be held for several months should not be left 

 on the tree beyond a certain stage of development, which varies with different 

 varieties. Experimental evidence indicates that the pressures at which some of 

 the common varieties should be picked are approximately as follows: Mcintosh 

 14 pounds, Baldwin 19 pounds, Delicious 18 pounds. The pressure tester is used 

 rather extensively in the West to determine the proper stage of maturity for 



