Mechanical harvesting of apples has been studied in New York (56) and in 
Japan (87). LaBelle (56) noted the amount of bruising was similar to that on 
fruit picked by hand. 
Work in the United States in 1949, New Zealand in 1952, Australia in 
1953, and Canada and South Africa in 1959, indicated that subsequent bruising 
of picked apples may be lessened by using large crates or bins instead of indi- 
vidual field boxes. A few workers found the use of such bins of slight or no 
value in reducing bruises (55, 64, 73). Most reports, however, indicate that 
such handling does substantially reduce bruising of apples (3, 32, 41, 49, 50, 
66, 7/8, 81, 84, 88, 91, 935-97). Lbtter (62) calculated that,the larger the 
mass of the fruit in the container, the smaller the proportion of fruits in the 
loose top layer that are jostled and bruised in handling and transportation. 
Bruising is reduced because there is two-thirds less wood surface in contact 
with the fruit in a bulk box than in field crates bolding the same volume (49). 
Workers in Michigan found 50 percent less bruising of McIntosh apples when they 
were handled in bulk containers rather than in field lugs (41). 
Smith and co-workers (93) noted that hauling bruises were only 7.7 per- 
cent when apples were handled in pallet boxes but 40.7 percent when loads con- 
sisted of individual field boxes. When apples were stored in individual field 
boxes bruising amounted to 52 percent; when they were stored in pallets (even 
when carelessly handled) bruising amounted to 32 percent. Another study showed 
a reduction of 7 percent. The results in this study varied with the variety of 
apple tested. Golden Delicious apples showed about 5 percent less bruising, 
Winesaps about 1 percent less, but Delicious apples showed 18 percent less 
bruising than similar apples harvested in standard boxes. Corrugated board was 
a definite help in preventing bruising against the sides of the boxes. It also 
helped when the pallets had diagonal corner posts (50). An available movie 
film fully illustrates the suggested practices, 4 
Hauling apples in bulk containers as much as 38 inches deep for a dis- 
tance of 15 miles caused much less bruising than hauling apples in lugs, but it 
has been suggested that bruising can be minimized by using containers no deeper 
than 21 to 26 inches (3, 64, 97). In transporting apples from the orchard to 
the packinghouse, Southwick and Hurd (95) observed that slatted crates often 
result in much more bruising than crates with close-fitting boards. 
That excessive bruising of apples occurs between most orchards and 
packinghouses is the consensus of many research workers. It is possible to 
eliminate practically all such injuries (85). 
Packing and Storage 
The delivery of bruise-free apples to customers depends on all personnel, 
techniques, supervision, equipment, maintenance, packing and packaging materials, 
fruit maturity, and even the weather, Phillips (82) found that late-harvested 
apples were more susceptible to impact bruising than apples that were harvested 
early. Delicious apples carefully packed during December and January averaged 
17.6 percent severe bruising, whereas those carefully packed during February 
and March averaged 36.6 percent severe bruising (114). Extremely favorable 
conditions for decay are provided when wet apples are bruised. Extra care is 
7/ See footnote 6, p. 139, 
140 
