6 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVII. No. r 
Measuring the Softening 
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II 
From 25 to 40 apples, selected to represent the averages of the trees 
from which they were taken, were used for each determination of 
the hardness of the fruit. 
Apples from the same trees 
were used in successive 
tests, made at intervals of 
from 5 to 7 days. 
Three tests were made 
upon the exposed flesh of 
each apple. The skin was 
removed from an area of 
about three-fourths of an 
inch diameter at three 
points equidistant about the 
circumference of the fruit, 
and the test made of the 
number of pounds pressure 
required to force a smoothly 
rounded plunger seven-six¬ 
teenths of an inch in di¬ 
ameter into the flesh of the 
fruit for a distance of five- 
sixteenths of an inch. 
Tests were also made of the 
same apples with skin in¬ 
tact, but it has been found 
that tests directly on the 
flesh of the apples are a 
more accurate index to the 
real condition of the fruit. 
Unfortunately, these 
tests were not begun until 
rather late in the season, 
when softening may have 
been considerably ad¬ 
vanced. When initial tests 
were taken, however, the 
fruit was not well colored, 
and lacked very apprecia¬ 
bly of having attained its 
final size. Exact growth 
measurements were not 
made. 
Figure 3 shows in graphi¬ 
cal form the resistance to 
pressure of Delicious, Rome 
Beauty, Winesap, and Ben 
Davis apples. At the time 
of making the initial pickings of Delicious, Rome Beauty, and Ben Davis the 
pressure-testing apparatus was not ready, and the fruit was held at 32 0 F. for 
10 
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Fig. 3. —Softening of Winesap, Ben Davis, Rome Beauty, and 
Delicious apples while on the trees, Arlington, Va., 1922. 
