1926 (73) * relative to methods of determining picking maturity. 
The elapsed time from full bloom to maturity has been found to be 
rather constant for a number of varieties and constitutes the most re- 
lable index of the earhest maturity date. 
DEFINITIONS OF MATURITY TERMS 
As an apple develops on the tree it passes through several stages of 
maturity from immature to overmature. The stage of maturity at 
which an apple is picked is reflected in its subsequent storage and des- 
sert qualities. Reference is made in this circular to several stages of 
maturity as follows: 
IMMATURITY.—Apples picked when immature will soften somewhat and may 
turn yellow when ripened; but the flesh is likely to be tough, the taste sour, the 
flavor lacking or undesirable, or the storage quality poor because of susceptibility 
to storage scald, bitter pit, or other disorders associated with immaturity. 
Harty MaArurity.—Apples picked at this stage ripen with only fair dessert 
quality for the variety but will be reasonably free of disorders associated with 
immaturity during storage. Earliest maturity is the beginning of this period. 
OPTIMUM Matruriry.—Apples picked at optimum maturity can be stored with 
a minimum of storage disorders and ripened with maximum dessert quality 
for the variety and conditions of growth. 
Late Maturiry.—Apples picked at this stage are still satisfactory for picking, 
but they will be somewhat flat in flavor and may show a slight tendency to become 
mealy and to develop disorders associated with overmaturity. 
OVERMATURITY.—When allowed to remain on the tree until overmature, the 
fruit may ripen quickly to a mealy condition, may be flat in taste, or may be 
subject to internal break-down or decay during storage. 
An apple is mature and satisfactory for picking during the period 
from earhest maturity until overmaturity is reached. 
The changes in the fruit on the tree that result in differences in its 
storage and dessert qualities are gradual, so that it is possible only to 
approximate the time at which a given stage of maturity 1s reached. 
This is particularly true of varieties in which maturity is based pri- 
marily on the dessert quality of the ripened fruit. Although good 
storage and dessert qualities are usually rather closely associated, ‘they 
do not always coincide and apples may attain satisfactory maturity 
from the standpoint of storage quality earlier or later than they attain 
satisfactory maturity from ‘the standpoint of dessert quality. This 
also complicates the exact establishment of a given stage of maturity. 
ORCHARD AND STORAGE DISORDERS RELATED 
TO MATURITY 
There is a direct association between various physiological disorders 
of apples (6) and their degree of maturity when picked. Of these, 
bitter pit and storage scald are associated with immatur ity, whereas 
Jonathan spot, sogey break-down, water core, and internal break- 
down are associated with overmaturity. 
The most serious of these disorders is storage scald (6), a surface 
browning or blackening that develops in 60 to 90 days after harvest 
in such early ripening varieties as Grimes Golden and in 100 to 150 
days with later kinds. It is more serious in cold storage than in com- 
mon storage. The unblushed parts of the fruits are most affected, and 
3 Italic numbers in parentheses refer to Literature Cited, p. 23. 
3 
