HANDLING THE APPLE CROP.

BY H. HAROLD HUME, HORTICULTURIST.

INTRODUCTION.

There is no region in the United States where better apples can be grown than in the mountain region of western North Carolina. The fruit is unsurpassed in appearance, in color, in edible quality and in keeping quality. Their keeping quality is unsurpassed if rightly handled, but too frequently they receive such treatment and reach the market in such condition, so covered with spots and bruises, so poorly selected, that they will not keep.

The top of a well-packed barrel of Apples as it opens up in the market.

The natural markets of western North Carolina apples are the towns and cities in the region east and south of the district in which they are grown, yet many of these markets are closed to our apples, because of the way in which they are prepared for shipment, and the way in which they are shipped. Apple dealers in these same cities prefer to send hundreds of miles away to western New York and other apple districts where the growing, picking and packing of apples are well understood, and procure their supply of apples that will keep until they are used, to procuring a near-by product that will spoil on their hands.

These things are not as they should be, and our growers must awake to the fact that, if the apple region is ever to come into the prominence that it

merits the place that is its own for the taking-the product must be put up in first-class shape, well grown, well picked, well graded, well packed, marketed in inviting shape.

The object to be held in view in preparing any fruit for market is to grow that fruit as nearly perfect as possible and then to put it in the hands of the consumer in all its freshness, as nearly like what it was as it grew on the plant as possible. And to do this, the methods used by many western North Carolina apple growers need to be radically changed.

These changes are necessary for two reasons: first, because it will bring more in money returns to the individual grower, and, second, the reputation of the region as an apple-producing district will receive the credit that it merits.

The object of this Bulletin is simply to contribute some information which may assist in bringing about these essential changes in methods.

WHEN SHOULD THE CROP BE GATHERED?

The time at which the fruit should be taken from the trees depends upon whether it is intended for storage, long-distance shipment, or for immediate use and local consumption, and upon the season of the variety.

The earlier varieties of apples may be allowed to mature fairly well before they are gathered. They should be fully colored and may even have commenced to soften somewhat. To attain full flavor in summer and early fall apples this is necessary. Such fruit, of course, is not intended for storage, nor will it stand long-distance shipment.

Winter apples, intended for cold-storage, should be picked when the fruit is full grown and well colored. Poorly colored and immature fruit will not keep so well as that which has reached its full color and development. If the fruit has to be shipped a considerable distance before going into storage, it cannot be allowed to ripen so much as though it were to be stored immediately. If the fruit is a little too ripe before going into storage, it should be placed in packages smaller than the ordinary apple barrel and each fruit should be wrapped in paper.

If winter apples, good keepers, begin to fall from the trees, the crop should be taken off at once. Maturity in apples is, of course, indicated by the color of the seeds turning from white to light and finally dark brown, and this may be used as a guide to a certain extent; but winter apples should be perfectly hard and firm at the time of picking. All fruit should be gathered before frost falls.

HOW NOT TO PICK.

The fruit should not be shaken from the trees or knocked off the trees with sticks. Some go to the trouble of piling brush or branches around under the trees to keep the fruit from striking the earth and stones beneath. But even then the chances are that the fruit when finally ready for shipment will be of exceedingly poor keeping quality, even though it was in excellent condition as it hung on the trees.

Do not allow the fruit to become bruised. Bruised apples will not keep. The bruises will, in most cases, become rotten spots before any great length of time has elapsed. And herein lies one of the reasons why North Carolina apples will not and do not keep--they are bruised and battered, and in such condition are fit for nothing but drying, cider or the cull-heap. Besides,

bruises materially lessen the amount of apple that is fit for use, and when it is prepared in the kitchen the bruised parts must be cut out and thrown away. Hence, it is plain that in buying bruised apples the purchaser does not receive full measure in edible fruit.

HOW TO PICK.

Apples for shipment, apples to be sold, apples to be kept through the winter for family use, should be hand-picked, and no fruit that has fallen from the tree to the ground should go among fruit intended for any one of the above purposes. The stems should remain on the fruit. If broken out, a small hole is left and an opening into the flesh of the fruit. Into this opening the germs of decay find their way and the apple rots. The picker should ascend the tree and, grasping the apple firmly in his hand, with a slight twist remove it from the twig or branch upon which it grew. It should then be carefully placed in a basket provided for the purpose or in a sack slung about the shoulders.

EQUIPMENT FOR HANDLING THE CROP.

No one ladder

Ladders. A number of good ladders should be provided. will answer all purposes, and at least two types will be found useful. The stepladder is indispensable. It should be strong, light, provided with a platform, and should have three legs instead of four. A stepladder with three legs is perfectly safe and will stand steady and solid on ground so rough and uneven as to make it impossible to use one with four legs at all. Longer ladders should be made for the taller trees. These should be of sufficient length to reach the tops, made strong and light, with broad rounds. The side pieces should be united or joined together at the top like the letter V inverted (A). The ladder can then be shoved up among the branches when necessary. It may also be used by laying it flat against a small number of small branches on the outside of the head of the tree.

Picking Utensils.-For gathering the fruit, strong wooden baskets holding about one-half bushel are very convenient. An iron hook should be attached to the handle, to be used in hanging the basket to a branch or the round of a ladder. A good hook can be made from a piece of half-inch round iron eight or ten inches long. This should be bent like the letter S and attached to the basket handle by means of a leather strap four or five inches long, having a hole cut in each end.

A sack made from an ordinary flour or grain sack is also good. The sack may be spread open with a piece of stick, sharp-pointed at both ends, placed in one side of the mouth, thus making the mouth of the sack triangular. Place a small stone in the lower corner of the sack, tie a piece of stout twine about it as it lies in the corner and then tie the twine to the center of the side of the sack mouth opposite the stick. This draws the bottom and top of the sack together, leaving an opening through which the arm may be thrust and the sack slung over one shoulder.

Fruit Pickers.-Sometimes it is difficult to pick the fruit from the uppermost branches. A number of implements provided with long handles have been made for removing apples from such places. One of these will often be found very convenient.

Barrel Headers. In packing the fruit the barrel must be filled full. When this is done, it is difficult to put the head in place, and a header of some sort must be used.