Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1921-01-07

source Of injury when PICKER ALLOWS
several TO collect in his hand, each
berry should be placed in cup as II
is picked. The masses OF decaye"
berries sometimes found in the cups
are often traceable to this type o
injury. Berries are more often in
jured by crushing in picking and b.
MASKING in the hands OF the p-ckers
than in any other way.
All overripe and injured berries
should be placed in separate cups anu
not mixed with the properly ripened,
sound fruit intended for long-distanoe
shipment. II pickings are made reg
ularly and at close intervals little
trouble from overripe berr es should
be experienced No sorting in the
boxes to remove injured or Overripo
berries should be allowed, as this will
injure the shipping qualities Of the
fruit.
Boxes holding a pint are ordinarily
used when the berries are to be ship
ped in the fresh state. AS soon as
filed, these boxes are transferred to
hand carriers, which should be set
in the shade. AS soon as the hand
carrier has been filled, it sould be
taken to the packing house and the
boxes transferred to crates. The
berries should be hauled to the ship
ping point promptly and without dc
lay either preceded and put into
refrigerator cars or placed in iced
refrigerator cars.
Carefully handled berries, cooled
quickly after picking, retain their
firmness, attractive appearance, and
freedom from decay for the longest
possible time after reaching the mar
ket. Early cooling is essential where
the berries are to be shipped a con-
siderable distance, in order to retard
the ripening process. The value OF
preceding in refrigerating plants Is
in checking deterioration, which goes
on rapidly in high temperatures, but
the decay Of berries in the market as
the result of rough or careless hand
ling can not be prevented by precool-
ing the fruit before shipment. More
important than any process of pre-
cooling is careful handling in the
field and in transportation. This is
the principal factor in insuring the
delivery in the market Of sound fruit
having good keeping qualities.
Picking for Evaporation.
II the berries are to be evaporated,
they should not be picked until very
ripe. They are then dark in color
and soft. They should be picked
without MASKING, and hauled at once
to the evaporation. Very ripe fruit
will give a greater proportion of the
dried product to the fresh fruit used
than will berries somewhat green,
and the dried product will be of better
quality. II the berries are too soft,
however, they will not hold Their
shape we'll, and the dried produce:
will be unattractive and will not sell
as rapidly as it otherwise would.
When berries are picked for the
evaporator, cups and carriers may be
used. or large tray may be substi-
tuted. Whether the pint cups or
large trays are used, they can be
carried most easily and safel yif the
waist carrier is suspended from the
shoulders.
Picking for the Cannery.
If the berries are to be canned,
they should be picked while still
firm, but after they have thoroughly
ripened. They become sweeter and
better favored If left on the bushes
until fully ripe, but they should not
be allowed to become soft before p:sk
ing, as soft fruit will break up in
processing. Fruit such as is picked
for the fresh-fruit market will make
a prettier product after processing,
but will be more acid than berries
which have been allowed to ripen
for two or three days longer.
Picking for Juice Factories.
When berries are to be used in the
manufacture of beverage, they
should be allowed to ripen on the
canes more than is ordinarily allowed
when intended for either the evapora'
tor or the cannery. When perfectly
ripe the berries contain more sugar
than at any other time, and the juice
then has the best flavor and aroma.
the quality OF juice
secured from berries which are fully
is very much greater than
from those which are slightly imma-
ture.
Urilizing the Fruit.
AS already stated, Logan black
berries are extensively used as fresh
fruit for evaporating. canning. and
the making of Jams and preserves