UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



BULLETIN No. 1072 3 



S^fp*<$ m fU 



Washington, D. C. 



June 17, 1922 



THE HANDLING, SHIPPING, AND COLD STORAGE 

 OF BARTLETT PEARS IN THE PACIFIC COAST 

 STATES. 1 



By J. R. Magness, Plant Physiologist, Office of Horticultural and Pomological 

 Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry. 



CONTENTS. 



Page. 



Introduction 1 



Distribution of Bartlett pear grow- 

 ing in the Pacific Coast States 3 



Handling fruit for shipment in a 



fresh state 3 



Handling fruit for the canneries 12 



The cold storage of Bartlett pears 13 



Storage temperature 13 



Pear scald 15 



Summary 16 



INTRODUCTION. 



During recent years there has been a very considerable increase 

 in the acreage devoted to the growing of pears on the Pacific coast. 

 These plantings have been distributed in various parts of California, 

 Oregon, and Washington. Careful estimates indicate that the pro- 

 duction of pears will increase fully 50 per cent within the next five 

 or six years. 



Of the varieties of pears grown on the Pacific coast the Bartlett 

 far outranks all others combined. It is a safe estimate that more 

 than 50 per cent of all pears grown in Washington and Oregon are 

 of this variety, while in California, the heaviest pear-producing State 

 in the Union, probably 75 per cent of all pears grown are Bartletts. 

 Furthermore, although the so-called winter varieties, coming into 

 market following the Bartlett season, are increasing in popularity 

 in some of the fooler growing sections, the Bartlett is practically 

 the only variety being planted in large quantities in those districts 

 in which it reaches its highest quality. 



•| i,i bulletin gives the resull "f n portion <<f the work carried on under th 

 Factor! Affecting the Storage Life "i Fruit." 

 Mill 22 



projrcl 



