2 CIRCULAR 659, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



Growers are inclined to place the blame for the lack of quality in the 

 apples offered in grocery stores and other outlets on the retailers and 

 other intermediaries in the merchandising chain. They feel that the 

 handlers of the fruit are not " apple-minded"; that to them apples are 

 just so much perishable merchandise to be handled and priced according 

 to the risk attached; that, in the absence of knowledge on how to mini- 

 mize the risks, the retail price of the fruit is often pyramided to a point 

 at which sales are retarded and the whole industry suffers correspond- 

 ingly; and that, consequently, customers, unable to buy the kind of 

 apples that they would like, turn to competing fruits. 



Market men, on the other hand, hold that frequently the fruit when 

 received has already deteriorated so much that its value is greatly re- 

 duced and the hazards of further deterioration while in process of sale 

 are greatly increased. . Most retailers are no more interested in apples 

 than in any other commodity that will yield the same profit; so, if there 

 are unusual risks in handling apples, this fruit naturally will not receive 

 the consideration that it otherwise would. 



This circular gives the available information on how to handle apples 

 from the time of harvest so that they will reach the ultimate consumer in 

 prime condition, as well as the reasons for the recommendations. Need 

 for this information is greater today than it was a few years ago, because 

 of the increased production of apple varieties that are more susceptible 

 to injury and deterioration during storage, transportation, and market 

 distribution than many of the varieties formerly grown. Approximately 

 60 percent of the commercial apple production of the United States now 

 consists of varieties having relatively soft flesh. Such important varie- 

 ties as Mcintosh, Golden Delicious, Cortland, Stayman Winesap, and 

 Delicious and its red strains all are much more tender and more subject 

 to injury in handling than are the hard-fleshed varieties like Winesap, 

 Yellow Newtown, Baldwin, and York Imperial. While all varieties 

 should be handled carefully, it is particularly important with the tender- 

 fleshed varieties. 



THE GROWER'S RESPONSIBILITY 



In the business of placing good-quality fruit before the consumer it is 

 the responsibility of the producer to grow a crop of good apples, rather 

 than just a good crop of apples. It is axiomatic that the orchard must 

 be properly pruned, sprayed, and cultivated to produce a profitable 

 crop. Every successful orchardist, although alert for new ideas in apple 

 culture, is already familiar with good cultural practices and is producing 

 a certain proportion of good apples. Progressive growers constantly 

 strive to increase the proportion of good apples as well as to increase the 

 size of the crop. 



When to Pick Apples 



One of the principal causes of the poor condition of apples as they 

 finally reach the consumer is failure to pick them at the proper stage of 

 maturity. When picked too soon, apples fail to develop good eating 

 quality &nd are very susceptible to certain functional diseases that de- 

 velop later, particularly bitter pit and scald. When not picked soon 

 enough, they do not stand up well in storage and are subject to other 

 functional diseases that often cause serious losses in storage, especially 



