12 CIRCULAR 62 7, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



test decreased with time to a fairly low point and remained at this 

 point or increased while the fruit continued to ripen. Magness and 

 Burroughs (43) showed a similar flattening of the softening curves. 

 With such lots it was frequently not possible to distinguish between 

 firm-ripe and ripe apples by means of the pressure test. 



The ranges of pressure test for the different degrees of ripeness are 

 given in columns 4 to 7, inclusive, in table 2. The range of pressure 

 test for prime eating condition as given by Magness and Taylor (48) 

 in column 8 agrees well with that given for the ripe stage in column 7. 

 However, Haller et al. (29) generally considered that apples in the 

 firm-ripe stage were in prime eating condition and that the ripe stage 

 represented a somewhat mealy condition that was past prime eating. 

 The lower limits of the pressure-test ranges for prime eating are given 

 by Magness and Taylor {Jf.8) as the upper limits for the overripe 

 condition. The range of pressure test for the overripe condition as 

 determined by Haller et al. (29) is not presented in table 2. How- 

 ever, they observed that in some varieties, apples testing in the upper 

 limits of the range for ripe may be overripe as indicated by core 

 browning or an excessively dry and mealy condition of the flesh. 

 Although apples testing less than the lower limits for ripe were over- 

 ripe, they might also be overripe and the pressure test considerably 

 above the lower limits for ripe. 



The hard stage (table 2, column 4) corresponds fairly well with the 

 picking stages (columns 2 and 3) and often extends above the usual 

 limits for picking. 



With apples the pressure test has not been found satisfactory as an 

 index of maturity, except to indicate when certain varieties are be- 

 coming overmature; but it has been found valuable as a measure of 

 ripeness after harvest. 



Pears 



Although the pressure test has been found to be one of the most 

 satisfactory indexes of maturity for pears, allowance must be made for 

 the climatic conditions under which the fruit is grown. In California 

 it has been found (3, 44, 55) that pears grown under hot, dry con- 

 ditions will be mature with a higher pressure test than pears of the 

 same variety grown under cooler and more humid conditions or with 

 ample irrigation. Consequently, the recommended pressure-test 

 limits for California vary somewhat, depending on the district or 

 conditions in which the pears are grown. With Bartletts this makes a 

 difference of 2 to 3 pounds in the pressure test at which picking may 

 start. The maturity regulations for the State of California recognize 

 this difference and require a pressure test not to exceed 25 pounds in 

 the dry, hot sections and not to exceed 23 pounds in the cooler, more 

 humid sections. 



A large proportion of the commercial pear production is in the Pacific 

 Coast States, and most of the investigations on picking maturity have 

 been conducted there. Table 3 summarizes the recommendations on 

 the pressure-test limits at which pear varieties should be picked. 

 The recommendations for Oregon conditions given by Hartman et al. 

 (36) are for tests on unpared surfaces and are therefore higher than the 

 recommendations for other districts that are based on tests on pared 

 surfaces. For the other districts the limits recommended for a variety 



