6 BULLETIN 1072. U. 5. DEPAETMEXT OE AGRECUUTUBB. 
The fruit from some other sections becomes soft ripe much more 
quickly, even when picked in what is apparently the same stage 
of maturity and held at the same temperature following picking. 
This latter type of fruit is usually rather coarse in texture, softer 
when ripe than the slower ripening pears, and has a marked tend- 
ency to become overripe and discolored about the core region while 
the outside of the fruit appears to be entirely sound. Such fruit 
from many sections has been found to ripen in so short a time after 
picking that successful shipments of the fresh pears to eastern mar- 
kets is impossible. In certain districts canners. unfamiliar with the 
tendency of the fruit to become overripe at the core before showing 
external signs of deterioration, have suffered heavy losses by allow- 
ing the pears to remain too long before canning. 
Canners and pear shippers are fully aware of the wide variation 
that occurs in the carrying qualities of the pears from different sec- 
tions, at least in so far as these variations occur in their local terri- 
tory. It is believed, therefore, that a discussion of the ripening 
of the fruit as it occurs in the different districts will be of advan- 
tage not only to the industry as a whole, but also to all the indi- 
vidual districts. For although fruit from certain districts will 
ripen more evenly and hold up longer following removal from the 
tree than that from other sections, there is no place on the Pacific 
coast where Bartlett pears are grown commercially that they can 
not be handled successfully, at least for canning or drying, pro- 
vided proper precautions are taken. 
It has been found that Bartlett pears from the Sierra Xevada 
foothill region east of Sacramento have uniformly excellent carry- 
ing and keeping qualities. The same may be said for pears from 
most of the districts in southern California, particularly the Tehach- 
api and Antelope Valley plantings. Fruit from the upper Sac- 
ramento Valley is very high in carrying quality. In the very large 
Bartlett pear section, lying along the reclaimed lower Sacramento 
Eiver. the fruit is also of high carrying quality, although some 
trouble is encountered with pears from the lower part of this section 
nearest the coast. 
In the Santa Clara Valley the fruit is much poorer in keeping 
and carrying quality, and fresh shipments from this district have 
been largely discontinued because of the difficulty in getting the 
pears through to market in good condition and the excellent cannery 
market available. 
The Bartlett pears grown in the counties bordering on the coast 
in California are uniformly poor in carrying quality. They become 
soft ripe quickly after removal from the tree and have a marked 
tendency to soften and become overripe at the core while still ap- 
parently firm on the outside. 
