132 THE AMERICAN BOiAXIST 



usually burned to get rid of it. Now that a way to use it has 

 been found, it is expected that the cane fields of Louisiana, 

 alone, will yield over 750,000,000 feet of this lumber annually. 

 There are many demands for wood that the new material will 

 not supply, but it can be used in so manv wavs that it seem> 

 destined to take much of the pressure from our rapidly di- 

 minishing^ forests. 



RiPKNiNG GRAPi;-FRui'r. — Investigation proves that there 

 are more differences in grape-fruits than are shown by size 

 and color, though these latter, especially color, may indicate, 

 other differences when interpreted correctly. Everybody 



knows the difference that exists between green and ripe ba- 

 nanas. Green bananas are practically all starch but if left 

 until the skins are yellow or nearly black these same fruits will 

 become sweet and palatable. The fact is that bananas are 

 ali\e and if given time will digest their starch and tannin into 

 sugar. Not until this process is finished are the fruits actu- 

 all\- ripe. Many people fail to realize that other fruits run 

 though the same series of changes. In the case of the grape- 

 fruit it has been found that when the fruits are held in cold 

 storage for a period of from one to three months they de- 

 velop a superior flavor. Much of the acid disappears and with 

 it the bitter principle, while the sugar content increases. It is 

 apparently another case of digestion imprcjving the flavor. U 

 has been supposed that the increase of flavor depends in Mime 

 way upon cold storage, but this is jjrobably incorrect. The 

 length of the time the fruit is kept seems to be the important 

 factor, for ones notices a remarkable difference in the flavor 

 of grape-fruits that have not been in cold storage at all. In 

 selecting these fruits, therefore, it is well to pay some attention 

 to the color of the fruit and to select those which are fully ma- 



