KEEPING QUALITIES OF FRUITS 255 



it will keep. It is a common impression that the greener the 

 fruit is when picked, the longer it will keep, but this is by no 

 means true. A certain degree of immaturity is desirable, but it 

 is quite possible to overdo it. There is some difference in this 

 respect with the various fruits, but in general it may be said that 

 fruits will keep longest if picked when they are fully matured 

 and well colored, but before the tissues have begun to break 

 down, while the flesh is still firm. 



Delay in getting the fruit into storage after it is picked is 

 a third very important factor. It ought to be understood that 

 there are certain life processes which are constantly going on 

 in the fruit, as in any other part of the. plant. These processes 

 have to do with the growth, maturing, and finally with the break- 

 ing down and decay of the fruit. They go forward more rapidly 

 under some conditions than under others. Among other things 

 which hasten this ripening process is the removal of the fruit 

 from the tree. It ripens faster after it is picked than while it is 

 on the tree. Therefore it should be hustled into storage as fast 

 as possible when once it has been picked. 



]\Ir. G. Harold Powell has shown that Kings, Suttons and 

 Rhode Island Greenings picked September 15 and stored within 

 three days, kept in good condition until March, while the same 

 varieties picked at the same time and handled in tlie same way, 

 except that they were not stored for two weeks, were badly de- 

 cayed by Januarj^ 1. Their commercial value had been injured 

 from 40 to 70 per cent by delay in getting them into the storage 

 house. 



High Temperature Before Storage. — One of the chief factors 

 in making delay dangerous is the higher temperature to which 

 the fruit is subjected in the orchard or the open shed. A high 

 temperature shortens the life of the fruit by hastening the 

 life processes in it. There is no question about that. Just what 

 is the best temperature and just how it ought to be varied in 

 ripening up the fruit, are matters still to be determined, but 

 there is no question that they ought to be low. The more 

 carefully fruit has been handled the higher temperature it 

 will stand and still come out in good condition. And conversely 



