16 



CIRCULAR 5 7 9, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



lots were therefore considerably riper but no softer at the end of their 

 storage period than they were much earlier in their storage life. 

 Under these circumstances there is much overlapping of the pressure- 

 test ranges for the several degrees of ripeness. In general, hard 

 apples tested at least 16 pounds and some of them as much as 20. 

 Firm apples ranged from 17 to 13 pounds, firm-ripe from 14 to 10 5 

 and ripe from 11 to 6. 



Williams 



ITilliams apples softened very rapidly at 70° F., as is shown in 

 figure 12. When the apples were held at low temperatures the initial 

 rate of softening was fairly rapid, but with fairly long holding there 

 was an increase in firmness during some periods. However, this 



20 



31 



15 



31 



15 



30 



15 



31 



15 



30 



15 



31 



15 



JULY 





AUG. 





SEPT. 





OCT. 





NOV. 





DEC. 





JAN 



Figure 12. — Firmness (pressure test) of Williams apples in relation to stage of 

 ripeness during ripening at various temperatures. The letters on the chart 

 indicate the degree of ripeness, as explained on page 5. The range of firm- 

 ness or zone representative of each degree of ripeness is given at the right. 

 The letters are omitted from those points at which the designations fall 

 within the corresponding zone at the right, as explained on pages 5 and 6. 



variety is not generally stored for any extended period, if stored at 

 all. In this variety there was uneven ripening of the apples in 

 the individual lots, and it was not uncommon to find apples repre- 

 senting three stages of ripeness within a given lot. Those that were 

 considered hard generally tested at least 16 pounds, with some testing 



