RIPENING, STORAGE, AND HANDLING OF APPLES 7 



September 26. Practically all the Grimes Golden fruits at Rosslyn 

 dropped about September 30, although up to that time they were 

 showing a uniform growth rate. These specific examples might 

 be extended. It is apparent from the charts, however, that as long 

 as the fruit remained on the tree in the different sections, a marked 

 and more or less uniform increase in its size occurred. 



It has not been possible from the data at hand to make a critical 

 analysis of the factors involved in determining the rate of growth 

 in apples. With most varieties the fruit grown under fairly con- 

 stant moisture supply and high fertility in the Wenatchee district 

 increased in size somewhat more rapidly and became larger than 

 that in most of the eastern districts. Grimes Golden, with a heavy 

 crop, however, did not become larger than in the eastern districts, 

 while Delicious, with a light crop, became very large. It would 

 appear that the water supply and the quantity of fruit on the tree 

 are the two main factors in determining the size attained. Under 



/ .// 2/ 3/ 



20 30 /0 20 30 / // 2/ 3/ 



s&r oer A&f ^f<y<? 



20 3? 



20 30 3 

 0&r A0f 



Fig. 2. — Change in firmness of flesh and size of Jonathan apples, 1924 



certain conditions a third factor, namely, length of growing season, 

 is very important. The data show conclusively that within the 

 seasonal limits here studied, which in most cases extended as long 

 as the fruit was adhering to the tree, regardless of the exact cli- 

 matic conditions prevailing, there is a rather distinct increase in 

 size from week to week. Thus, delaying picking operations as long 

 as the condition of the fruit permits will result in a distinctly larger 

 size than will be obtained by early picking. 



SOFTENING OF APPLES ON THE TREE 



It has long been recognized that as fruit matures on the tree there 

 is a gradual softening of the tissue. The mechanical measurement 

 of the rate of softening of certain fruits has been suggested and 

 used as a test of the proper time for removing them from the tree 

 (15). The exact rate of softening of apples before and during the 



