24 N. H. Agr. Experiment Statiox [Bulletin 313 



eral the Cortlands seem to keep much better than the Mcintosh in 

 storage. The damage to so many apples by the hurricane inter- 

 rupted this project in the fall of 1938. 



Effect of Pre-ripening Mcintosh in Storage 



Unfortunately, Mcintosh apples lose much of their flavor in stor- 

 age, especially when they are kept later than Christmas. Since 

 pears, ripened somewhat when they are first picked, will maintain 

 their flavor much better when put in storage, it was decided to hold 

 the Mcintosh apples at a higher temperature when first stored to 

 see if this pre-ripening would cause them to maintain their flavor in 

 storage. 



Samples of Mcintosh apples picked at the horticultural farm were 

 held at about 40 for 18, 36 and 54 days before being transferred to 

 the 32 room. Mcintosh apples picked at this same time were stored 

 at 32 immediately for check. 



These lots were examined periodically during the rest of the win- 

 ter. The apples stored immediately had an immature taste charac- 

 teristic of fruits picked too early although these were picked at the 

 commercial harvesting time. Those pre-ripened 18 days developed a 

 much better flavor, but it seemed to leave the apples by January first. 

 Those pre-ripened 36 days at 40' F, had good tlavor as late as March 

 and kept very well but not so long as those stored immediately. Pre- 

 ripening 54 days ripened the fruits to prime eating condition so that 

 they did not keep well after being transferred to the 32 room. 



Storage of Mcintosh in Relation to Picking Date and Dropping 



The proper time to pick Mcintosh apples in relation to dropping 

 will have to be worked out for each individual situation. However, 

 the longer the fruit can be kept on the tree without dropping the 

 better the fruit will keep in storage, according to experiments con- 

 ducted by W. W. Smith at the horticultural farm. 



Investigations on the relation of picking date to dropping and to 

 the keeping quality of the Mcintosh were conducted on a ijopulation 

 of apples in which the trees had been fall fertilized and on a similar 

 population in which trees were spring fertilized. The Mcintosh 

 apples were picked on the following dates ~ September 10, 15. 20, 25 

 and 30 ~ taken to storage, graded, packed and stored at 32 . The 

 number of drops were counted at each i^icking time, and the cover 

 and ground color was taken of the drops and of the picked fruit. 



Samples of the apples were tested periodically during the winter, 

 and it was found that the later the fruit is picked the better it keeps. 

 No diff'erence could Ije detected between fruit from fall fertilized 

 trees and those fertilized in the spring. {Pnrnrll Fund) 

 Light l> Pruned Trees Produce More Fruit 



Heavily pruned trees produce much less fruit each year than 

 lightly pruned ones according to extensive experiments carried on by 

 W. VV. Smith. In 1926 an apple orchard was planted at the univer- 

 sity, and since that time the trees have Ijeen pruned lightly and heav- 

 ily in alternate rows. Results have been tai)ulated each year, and 

 the records favor the lightly i)runed trees to a large extent. 



This last year it was decided to change this experiment into a 

 "conventional" versus "thin-wood" method of pruning, and from 



