26 



ness at which the fruit was removed from the tree, and careful tests 

 should therefore be made to determine the proper degree of maturity 

 for harvesting fruit of each individual variety which will suit it to 

 the use for which it is intended. For eating fresh, the fruit of all 

 varieties, with the possible exception of Sandersha, should be allowed 

 to color fully and to begin softening on the tree, while fruit for 

 marketing should be taken from the tree at the stage of maturity at 

 which it will resist decay longest — that is, before it is fully colored 

 or has begun to soften, the fruit of most varieties having sufficient 

 merit to warrant its sale at satisfactory prices if so harvested. With 

 the varieties Amini, Divine, Sans Pareille, and possibly others, the 

 fruits develop too strong a flavor to be palatable if left to ripen fully 

 on the tree. 



STORAGE TESTS. 



The following summary of results from storage tests of a number 

 of varieties indicates the proper time for harvesting where a long 

 or short period is to elapse before the fruit is to be consumed. In 

 these tests long steins were left on the fruits and all were wrapped 

 in paper. Where sufficient fruit was available, the tests were made 

 in both warm and cold rooms. In the warm storage room, a tem- 

 perature of 80° to 83° F. was maintained, and in the cold room, 

 which is an ice storage room, the temperature varied from 40° to 47°. 



Amini. — Two lots of this variety were placed in the warm room, 

 one of 50 fruits taken from the tree in edible condition, the other of 

 50 fruits of mature size and light yellow color, all of the green hav- 

 ing disappeared from the skin, but which had not started to soften 

 on the tree. In four days 5 of the first lot showed decayed spots, and 

 in six days 14 were affected, the other specimens having somewhat 

 lost their characteristic flavor. Of the second lot, one fruit showed 

 de^ay on the seventh day after storing and 11 were slightly dis- 

 colored by the tenth day. All specimens of this variety developed 

 a very attractive color in storage. 



Two lots of this variety, in the same condition as those tested in 

 the warm room, were placed in the cold room also. Eleven days 

 after storing small decaying spots appeared on a few of the speci- 

 mens which were ripe when harvested, but the flesh was palatable, 

 the flavor and texture having undergone no perceptible deteriora- 

 tion. A few of these specimens were still in good condition 18 

 days after storing, but the skins of most of them had become dis- 

 colored. The fruits harvested just before they had started to soften 

 developed a rich yellow color in 10 days, but were still firm. They 

 were ripe 10 days later and remained palatable for 6 days. Full- 

 sized fruits picked just as they started to color remained apparently 

 unchanged in the cold room for four weeks, the flesh then slowly 



