MARKETING NEW HAMPSHIRE McINTOSH APPLES 21 



Table 15 is included to show the relative condition of freshly 

 picked apples in orchard boxes at the packing table as compared with 

 (1 ) packed boxes in the grower's hands and (2) the product the con- 

 sumer receives. In this connection, it must be remembered that 

 punctured and badly bruised fruit is discarded before packing-, where- 

 as damage in the orchard boxes may have been done on the tree. (See 

 also Appendix Table XIII.) 



Table 15. Condition of McIntosh Apples in Orchard Boxes, ix Packed Boxes 

 at Growers, and as Sold in Retail Stores 



Per 100 fruits 



Cuts and Bruises Small No 



punctures over }/> inch bruises injury 



In orchard boxes 4.5 7 117 40 



Packed boxes at grower's place 32 34 240 8 



From selected growers as sold in stores 81 126 4o5 



SUMMARY 



Varieties. Mcintosh apples were handled by over 86 per cent of 

 the stores selling apples before January 1 and by 77 per cent in 

 February. 



Sources. Of stores contacted in the 1940-4i season, 40 per cent 

 of the chains and 78 per cent of the independent groceries and markets 

 obtained apples from within New Hampshire. Earlv in the season 

 chains bought 60 per cent and independent groceries and markets 

 bought 82 per cent of their Mcintosh from within the state. Late in 

 the season chains bought 19 per cent and independent groceries and 

 markets 78 per cent of their Mcintosh apples in the state. 



Condition of Mcintosh. Producers vary considerably in their 

 ability to place good-quality Mcintosh apples in city markets. The 

 bruised surfaces on Mcintosh apples bought in eight cities ranged 

 from an average of 6.3 per cent to 13.3 per cent of the total surface 

 area. The average waste varied from 4.3 per cent to 17.2 per cent in 

 different cities. Those hauled to stores over short distances were in no 

 better condition on the average than those hauled over longer dis- 

 tances, presumably because the poorer apples were delivered into 

 near-by markets. 



Mcintosh delivered from cold storages showed 22 per cent less 

 waste on the average than those delivered from common storages. 

 Mcintosh from growers' storages showed 33 per cent as much waste. 

 27 per cent as many large bruises, and 39 per cent as much bruised 

 surface as did the same grower's apples bought from retail stores. 



The method of handling has far more to do witli the condition of 

 Mcintosh than the length of time they are held in the store. Apples 

 sold from the original box were in much better condition than those 

 sold from the counter. They had 42 per cent less waste and 50 per 

 cent fewer large bruises. Samples purchased from fruit stores had 

 the most waste (10.9 per cent), and those from independent groceries 



