2 BULLETIN 1072, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
The reason for the popularity of the Bartlett variety is readily 
understood. A very heavy bearer of fruits of large size and of 
very high dessert quality, it is the ruler of the fresh-pear markets 
during the weeks in which it is in season. Where canned it has a 
higher quality than any other pear and in regions where it can be 
produced successfully is practically the only variety that goes into 
the commercial canned-fruit trade. In some districts it is also 
dried very successfully, and a large demand has been created for 
the dried product, 
TTith the constantly increasing production of Bartletts, however, 
it has become apparent that some means of holding the fruit in cold 
storage is vital to the industry in many producing sections. If the 
total season for fresh consumption can be lengthened by several 
weeks, a much larger quantity of fruit can be disposed of on the fresh- 
fruit market. 
It is even more important that canners in certain sections be 
able to hold the fruit in storage. In some sections Bartlett pears 
and certain varieties of peaches reach canning condition at prac- 
tically the same time. Since pears can be held more successfully 
than peaches, it is of great advantage to put a portion of the 
pears in cold storage and hold them until the peach-canning season 
is over. It also reduces the overhead expense of the cannery to 
prolong the canning season as much as possible. In former years 
heavy losses have been suffered by some pear canners. owing to 
fruit becoming overripe during the rush season. Much loss has 
also occurred in fruit that has been in cold storage, due to improper 
methods of handling. 
During" the past two seasons investigations have been carried on 
by the Bureau of Plant Industry to determine (1) the effect of the 
time of picking on the keeping, eating, and canning quality of Bart- 
lett pears. (2) the comparative keeping and carrying capacity of 
fruit from different sections of the Pacific coast grown under widely 
varying climatic conditions, and (3) the method of handling fruit 
in cold storage which will give the longest keeping period and the 
highest dessert quality in the fruit upon removal from cold storage. 
Chemical and physiological studies have been made of fruit from 
different sections gathered at different stages of maturity and held 
under different conditions following picking. The results of some 
of these studies have been presented in detail in an earlier publi- 
cation. 2 It is the primary purpose of this bulletin to discuss the 
results presented in that report, as they concern the practical grower 
and handler of Bartlett pears, and also to include the results of some 
additional investigations. 
2 Magnesa, J. R Investigations in the ripening and storage of Bartlett pears. In 
Jour. Agr. Research, v. 19, no. 10. p. 473-500, 8 fig. 1920. ' Literature cited, p. 499-500. 
