EASTERN-GROWN APPLES 5 



PRESENTATION OF RESULTS 



The softening of each of the different varieties for the three seasons 

 and at the different temperatures is presented in figures 1 to 16. The 

 letters on or near the various points on the curves indicate the ratings 

 for ripeness given the lots. The letters stand for the different terms 

 used, as H for hard, F for firm, FR for firm ripe, R for ripe, and OR 

 for overripe. Designations such as F-FR indicate that about half 

 of the apples were considered firm and the remainder firm ripe or 

 that one person considered them to be firm and another considered 

 them firm ripe or that the fruit was borderline in ripeness and not 

 distinctly either firm or firm ripe. A designation such as FR-(R) 

 indicates a rating of firm ripe to ripe, mostly firm ripe. 



At the right-hand side of each chart is indicated the range of firm- 

 ness that was considered to represent the different stages of ripeness 

 on the basis of these results. It will be noted that the range for the 

 hard stage in each chart extends above the highest point on the curves 

 of the chart and that the range for the ripe stage extends below the 

 lowest point on the curves. The actual designations of ripeness are 

 not given on the charts when these designations comply exactly with 

 the range given at the right. 



The object of the curves is to indicate the extent to which the 

 different determinations for a given degree of ripeness fall within 

 a given range of pressure test regardless of season, maturity of pick- 

 ing, and temperature of ripening. For this purpose it is not neces- 

 sary to follow closely each curve but rather to note how consistently 

 the points on the different curves for a given degree of ripeness fall 

 within the range of pressure-test results indicated for that degree 

 of ripeness at the right of each chart. 



In this connection it should be noted that each point on the curves 

 represents an average of 3 pressure determinations on each of 20 

 apples. The standard error for such averages has been found to be 

 generally between ±0.1 to ±0.3 pound. For the purpose of these 

 investigations, however, the entire range of pressure tests represented 

 by a given average is of interest. For example, if a lot designated 

 hard had an average pressure test of 20 pounds but ranged from 

 18 to 22 pounds, it would be considered that for this variety apples 

 testing 18 to 22 pounds might be classed as hard — not just those 

 testing 20 pounds. If the highest average point on the curves were 

 20 pounds, then the range for hard shown at the right of the chart 

 might extend to 22 pounds. Similarly, the range for ripe might 

 extend below the lowest point on the curves. In estimating the range 

 to represent each stage of ripeness (as given at the right of each chart) 

 the range of pressure tests in each lot was considered rather than 

 the average. In general, the apples tested in a given lot ranged from 

 1 to 3 pounds above and below the averages. 



It will be noted that no ripeness designations have been given for 

 many of the points on the charts. In order to simplify the charts 

 these designations have been omitted from those points at which the 

 designation falls in the zone given at the right as representative of 

 that degree of ripeness. For example, in figure 1 the hard zone 

 (without overlapping) extends from 25 to 19 pounds, and the 

 designations are omitted from all points within this zone that were 



