STORAGE OF APPLES IN TiJE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. 15 
In Rome Beauty, Winesap, and Yellow Newtown scald causes more 
serious injury than decay. It has been found that all varieties sus- 
ceptible to scald are attacked much more quickly and seriously when 
picked prematurely than when picked at full maturity, as shown in 
Plates II and IV. The most practical and efficacious preventive of 
this trouble, therefore, is picking the fruit at proper maturity. No 
other factor has such an important bearing on the amount of scald 
which develops in storage. The general appearance of scald on 
Rome Beauty is well illustrated in Plate II. It is probable that the 
cells which make up the skin of the immature fruit are undeveloped 
and weak, and therefore break down quickly in storage. In this 
connection it is important to note that physiclogical decay, such as 
is shown in Plate II, often follows severe scald. In the case of red 
varieties, allowing the fruit to remain on the tree until proper 
maturity is reached permits the green area to become partially or 
completely colored (PI. III) and consequently practically immune 
from scald. It also allows the whole surface of one naturally green 
or yellow in color to become mature enough to resist the trouble. 
As far as physiological and fungous. decays are concerned, the 
differences shown in the table are not so striking. Very serious scald, 
however, finally weakens the skin of the fruit so that complete physi- 
ological decay results or a point of entrance is offered to decay 
fungi. This explains the very serious decay in the immature Rome 
Beauty at the third and fourth withdrawals. It will be observed 
that very little of this decay developed at 32° F., but after withdrawal 
to the warmer outside temperatures the immature fruit, weakened 
by bad scald, went down very rapidly, while a comparatively small 
amount of decay developed in the fruit which was mature when 
picked. 
Winesap, usually considered a longer keeping variety than Rome 
Beauty, was apparently not seriously weakened by scald, as very 
little decay developed either in storage or after withdrawal. Yellow 
Newtown (Table 1) shows considerably more decay in the immature 
lots than in the mature at the last withdrawal, though the difference 
in the percentage of scald is much less pronounced than in the first 
two varieties. These differences, however, were greater than the 
figures indicated. The individual apples in the immature lots were, 
as a rule, more seriously affected than those in the mature lots, and 
consequently more weakened and more susceptible to decay. 
WHEN IS AN APPLE AT PROPER MATURITY? 
Regarding the stage of maturity at which apples should be 
picked it is difficult to give directions which will apply to all condi- 
tions and seasons. Proper maturity certainly does not mean eating 
