CHAPTER XXII 



PICKING 



The picking of the fruit is one of the most important operations 

 in profitable apple production. Most orchardists pick the fruit 

 either too soon or too late, chiefly too early. Fruit that is not 



picked soon enough 

 rots quickly and loses 

 its marketable quali- 

 ties. However, if the 

 market is a local one, 

 or if the apples are 

 to be sold immediately 

 for consumption, they 

 may be allowed to 

 remain on the trees 

 longer than would in 

 other cases be safe. 

 By allowing apples to 

 remain on the trees 

 till after the best time 

 for picking, one great 

 advantage is gained, 

 and that is an increase 

 in the color of the fruit 

 — provided, of course, 

 the apple has a color 

 that can increase and 

 deepen. Often this 



Fig. 125. Expensive work 



Where trees are too high the expense of picking is ma- 

 terially increased. It costs money to move a heavy long 

 ladder and also to climb up and down on it 

 Moral : Keep the trees low 



heightened color materially increases the immediate returns for 

 the fruit. Some varieties lose their crisp quality if allowed to re- 

 main too long on the tree and become soft and mushy, in which 

 stage many people do not like them. 



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