20 



STATION BULLETIN 347 



To determine whether the size of the fruit had any effect on the 

 amount of damage, three boxes were filled : one with large apples, 

 another with small, and a third with half large and half small. The 

 packed boxes were then dropped twice, a distance of 8 inches, and the 

 effect determined. Table 13 shows the results. 



it is evident that large apples are more easily damaged than small 

 ones, and it also appears that when large apples are mixed with small 

 ones in the boxes the large apples are damaged more than when 

 packed alone. 



Table 13. Mechanical Damage to Apples of Different Sizes When Boxes are 

 Dropped Twice from Eight Inch Heights 



PICKING INJURIES TO McINTOSH 



Even in the growers' hands apples sustain many injuries ; conse- 

 quently every grower should determine just what is happening dur- 

 ing the picking process. Table 14 tabulates the results of a small test 

 on picking methods. These are the average of two years' results, 

 using eight boxes in each treatment. While not elaborate enough for 

 positive conclusions, they give a general picture of the extent of fruit 

 injuries sustained in the orchard. However, it seems that damage 

 elsewhere is much more important regardless of the type of container 

 used in picking. 



Table 14. Effect of Picking Methods on Mechanical Injuries to McIntosh 



Type of 

 picking container 



How 



transferred to 



orchard box 



Large 



bruises 



per 100 



fruits 



Small 

 bruises 

 per 100 



fruits 



Punctures 

 per 100 

 fruits 



Per cent 

 perfect 



fruit 



Canvas bag with 

 open bottom 



Solid side bag 

 with canvas 

 bottom 



Pail or basket 

 Pail or basket 



Average of all 

 methods 



Bag carefully 

 opened at bottom 



Bag carefully 

 opened at bottom 



Poured carefully 



Transferred by 

 hand 



83 



5 

 5 



4 



4.5 



49 



35 

 27 



50 



40 



