8 BULLETIN 1448, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



when the variety should be picked. For cold-storage holding, the 

 variety may be picked when fully colored and when showing a 

 ground color corresponding to Nos. 3 and 4, Plate 1. 



BALDWIN 



The Baldwin usually reaches picking maturity in about 140 to 145 

 days from date of bloom. Thus, in the southern apple-growing re- 

 gions the picking date will usually fall in September, and in the 

 north-central and northeastern apple sections with a much later 

 bloom the harvest will normally fall in late October. In the South, 

 since this variety ripens during hot weather, it must be handled 

 in cold storage if an appreciable holding period is desired. In the 

 short-season growing districts, to which the Baldwin is best adapted, 

 districts having later harvest and a cooler fall, the variety can be 

 held very successfully until midwinter or later in common storage. 



The Baldwin, as grown in the South, scalds rather badly in 

 storage, but this tendency is much less pronounced in fruit from 

 the more desirable Baldwin sections of the North and East. The 

 Baldwin has a marked tendency to drop as soon as or in some cases 

 before the fruit reaches best picking condition. This tendency 

 largely determines the time of picking of this apple. So long as the 

 apples are holding on the tree well they may be left with safety. 

 When the fruit begins to loosen and separate easily from the spur, 

 however, it is necessary to harvest it to avoid excessive loss in 

 tonnage. 



The Baldwin in the southern districts will usually show a pressure 

 test of 18 to 19 pounds when in good picking condition. In the 

 north-central and northeastern sections the pressure test will usually 

 run from 19 to 22 pounds. Color is relatively undependable as an 

 index to maturity in Baldwin. The ground color will vary from 

 No. 2 to No. 4, Plate 1, in fruit grown under different cultural and 

 climatic conditions. 



In the northeastern apple sections where the Baldwin is adapted 

 to common-storage holding, relatively late picking has been found 

 to give firmer and better common-storage fruit than does early pick- 

 ing. The fruit softens less while on the tree than if picked and 

 held at prevailing common-storage temperatures; hence leaving the 

 fruit on the tree is preferable to early picking. The fruit is not 

 only firmer in storage as a result of later picking, but is also larger, 

 better colored, and less likely to develop scald. 



With the Baldwin the tendency to drop is the best indication of when 

 it is in proper picking condition. It frequently happens that the va- 

 riety starts to drop relatively early in the fall, particularly in sea- 

 sons following an early bloom. In this case early picking is essential 

 to avoid excessive loss, and the fruit is much less satisfactory for 

 common-storage holding. If placed promptly in cold storage, how- 

 ever, it will hold through a normal storage season. 



BEN DAVIS 



In the eastern half of the United States the Ben Davis is grown 

 commercially over an extremely wide range of climatic conditions 

 from south to north. The condition of the fruit at picking time will 



