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CIRCULAR 659. U. S. DEPARTMEXT OF AGRICULTURE 



Figure 3. — Holding apples in large compact stacks outside a packing house is not 

 recommended. In such piles, unprotected from sunlight and rain, ripening is 

 accelerated. 



FACTORS AFFECTING CONDITION DURING STORAGE 



The sequence of changes in the harvested fruit is much the same as in 

 apples that are allowed to remain on the tree until they become overripe, 

 mealy, and insipid; that is, even fruit harvested at the proper stage of 

 maturity eventually becomes mealy and flavorless if held too long or 

 under improper storage conditions. In fact, unless the. fruit is placed in 

 cold storage promptly, the approach of senility is more rapid after the 

 fruit is picked than when it is left on the tree. The length of time that 

 apples can be held in satisfactory condition in storage depends on three 

 factors: (1) Maturity at harvest; (2) storage temperature; and (3) pres- 

 ence of diseases. 



Maturity at Harvest 



Apples picked before they are sufficiently mature generally remain 

 sour and astringent, even after they have ripened, and, except for the 

 red bud sports, are poorly colored. They have a marked tendency to 

 wilt or shrivel and are susceptible to scald and bitter pit during storage. 



The apples most often picked before they reach the proper stage of 

 maturity are the solid-color varieties, such as Grimes Golden and Yellow 

 Newtown among the green or yellow kinds and the red bud sports of the 

 Delicious. When picked at the proper stage of maturity, all these rate 

 among the best for dessert quality; but when picked too soon, they are 

 suitable only for cooking, and the Delicious is not particularly good even 

 for that. 



^YheJl the weather remains warm at harvesttime, particularly at night, 

 some varieties of red apples are slow to color and there is a tendency on 

 the part of growers to delay picking until the apples do color, with attend- 

 ant danger of loss from dropping and of the fruit's becoming too mature 

 for storage. Because this is particularly true of Jonathan, Delicious, 



