Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-07-19
MARKETING THE PEACH
j. S. TELLS BEST WAY
Problems That Confront Ship
pers Made Easy by Depart
ment of Agriculture.

Standard grades and more careful
attention to the harvesting. handling
and packing are today conspicuous
needs of the peach industry in the
Eastern States. Each year large num-
bers of shipments are received In the
consuming centres OF the country
which, on account of immaturity or
improper methods OF grading and
handling. are sold at prices that rep
resent severe losses to the shippers.
The situation is rendered even more
serious because tho presence OF poor
fruit on tho market weakens the on-
hdence OF tho consuming public and
80 affects the sale Of the good stock
as well.
Peaches are grown" says Fl. w.
Samson in a bulletin Of the United
States Department OF Agriculture. "in
the States east Of the Rocky Noun
tains under n wldo range Of conditions,
and several different methods are
used in preparing the crop for mar
ket. The ~ Of the year at which
the fruit ripens. the variety. the dis
lance to market. the purpose for
Nitti ~ 10 w 10 oeth Nv AAAN
character and availability OF labor
are all factors which help to deter
mine tho stage of maturity for pick
ing, the choice Of packages and the
type. arrangement and equipment Of
packing houses. These are matters
of great interest in handling a CROP
80 extremely perlshable.
I'm harvesting peaches tho picking
Operation must receive the most care
full attention. for the condition OF
the fruit upon arrival IN the market
depends largely upon the stage o.
maturity at which II is picked and up
on the care with which 1t is handled
Tho peach ripens so quickly that II
two Or three days 81 will advanc,
from a stage which is so immature al
to affect the edible quality TO one
which Is too far advanced for shipping
and for that reason the determinatior
Of the proper stage Of maturity is es
p~ecially important.
Indeed. there is no consideration o
greater consequence in determininI
the market value OF the fruit. but il
spite of this fact few growers manag
to pick their peaches uniformly a
the proper stage. Growers shout
make it a point to find out in wha
I, condition their fruit arrives at Il
destination. If It Is -impracticable t
\ check he accuracy OF their ohserva
tons IN the field by visiting tn
markets, much valuable informatio
n may DO secured through correspor
dence with their representatives.
How it Reaches the Market
1T should be kept in mind that Il
fruit should reach the market near.
re enough for eating. but Arm enoue
20 be handled Though the ordinar
channels Of trade. The Discriminate
Of the degree OF ripeness at pickin
time 70 insure this condition depend
upon the variety and the distance
: market. In actual practice, howeve
the time taken 70 reach the market
n rot so important as might be imagine
as the ripening processes are materia
: ~ retarded by the use Of refrlgeratc
cars.
y Experience has shown that peache
i may be picked in Georgia at about IN
same time as in New Jersey. Virgins
West Virginia and Maryland. althoug
n there is considerable difference in II
II time required in transit from the:
points 10 the principal markets, ar
consequently il is necessary 10 jude
the proper stage on the basis OF Il
o most distant market likely 10 be use
In the Middle and South Atlant
" states the following simple rule ma
e be found helpful in picking most Y.
riet-es: Pick the fruit approximate
forty-e!ght hours before it reaches Il
)" proper maturity for eating. Tn
e length of time Is based on averal
5, weather conditions. Changes in Il
y weather should receive careful a
t%ention, as fruit which has been m.
d turing slowly during a week of co
Y, weather will ripen with great RI
-e pidity If II turns hot and muggy, az
"a conversely, fruit which has been ripe,
; ing very rapidly may be retarded m.
terially by a few cool days.
q Careful observations Of the chang
in the appearance Of the peach duri!
u the ripening process must be made
''e order TO estimate this time with &c
20 tainty, but with a little experience it
- not difficult 10 judge the proper sta.
= with a fair degree of accuracy. 0,
>, sign that the fruit is about ready
- pick is the change in the ground col
&C. from the green color indicative OF il
~ maturity TO a light yellow in the ca
Of yellow-feshed varieties or 70
,a
IN r.