344 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



FRUIT-MARKETING INVESTIGATIONS. 



The fruit-marketing work of the year has been continued under 

 the general direction of Mr. Taylor, assisted by various members of 

 the field staff. 



Experiments with persimmons. — Experimentation with the ripen- 

 ino^ of Japanese persimmons with a view to developinc: practical 

 methods of removinc; their astring-ence in advance of the softening of 

 the fruit, an end which appears essential to the further development 

 of the persimmon industry, has been continued. 



Utilization or surplus fruits. — Experiments on the drying of 

 pineapples and utilizing surplus ripe fruit of this plant in other ways 

 during periods of glut and low prices have been made, and indicate a 

 strong probability that such surplus, which would otherwise be wasted, 

 can be converted into wholesome and desirable food products. Ex- 

 periments in the storing of unfermented apple juice at low tempera- 

 tures indicate that this product by proper methods of handling can 

 be held in ordinary apple storage rooms in sound and wholesome con- 

 dition for several weeks without sterilization by heat or the addition 

 of preservatives. The technical features of all of the work looking 

 toward the utilization of surplus fruits have been handled by Mr. 

 H. C. Gore, Scientific Assistant, in cooperation with the Bureau of 

 Chemistry. 



fruit transportation and storage investigations. 



The work on fruit transportation and storage has continued along 

 the lines of previous years and valuable results have been secured. 

 Messrs. Powell and Stubenraucli have been assisted in various phases 

 of the work by Messrs. L. S. Tenny, Pomologist ; S. J. Dennis, H. J. 

 Ramsey, C. S. Pomeroy, and A. W. McKay, Experts; C. W. Mann, 

 H. M. White, and B. B. Pratt, Scientific Assistants ; and C. F. Galli- 

 gan, Special Agent. 



Table-grape transportation. — Investigations in the marketing of 

 table grapes, begun at Lodi, Cal., during the season of 1908, were con- 

 tinued during the past shipping season. The results of this year 

 amply corroborate those obtained the previous year. This work has 

 for its object the determination of the factors which govern the keep- 

 ing qualities of table grapes in transit, and the investigation of the 

 relation of handling the fruit in preparing it for shipment to the 

 occurrence of decay in transit. The work consisted of the shipment 

 of a number of experimental series picked, packed, and handled under 

 exact conditions. In all 33 shipments were made to New York, 

 where they were carefully inspected, the percentages of decay and 

 deterioration being determined by weight. Each shipment consisted 

 of fruit picked and packed under ordinary commercial conditions 

 and fruit carefully picked and packed both in crates and in boxes 

 with fillers of ground cork and redwood sawdust. In loading in 

 the cars, portions of each kind of fruit and type of packing were 

 placed on the floor or bottom tier and on the top tier of the load. The 

 fruit was held a week after arrival, and inspections were made on the 

 day of arrival and on the third, fifth, and seventh days thereafter. 



