BUREAU OF PLANT INDUSTUY. 323 



Persian walnut investigations. — The work upon the Persian 

 walnut has had in view the obtaining of exact information as to the 

 status of this industry in the United States. A special field trip was 

 made to the States of Washington, Oregon, and California, and the 

 data thus obtained, together with that assembled from correspond- 

 ence with representative horticulturists or growers of the walnut, 

 have been embodied in a special report. 



FIELD INVESTIGATIONS IN POMOLOGY. 



Since the appointment of Mr. William A. Taylor as Assistant 

 Chief of tlie bureau in 1910, the investigations with reference to the 

 culture and handling of fruits have been carried on under the direc- 

 tion of Mr. A. V. Stubenrauch. 



The work has continued along the same general lines as heretofore, 

 and good progress has been made in the various investigations dur- 

 ing the past year. 



FRUIT-MARKETING INVESTIGATIONS. 



The work of the utilization of surplus fruits and experiments with 

 persimmons carried on in cooperation with the Bureau of Chemistry 

 by Mr. H. C. Gore have been continued and full data have been 

 obtained. 



Processing or persimmons. — The experiments with the ripening 

 of Japanese persimmons, begim several j^ears ago, with a view to 

 removing their astringency in advance of the softening of the fruit, 

 showed definitely that the jDrocessing carried on by the Japanese in 

 sake casks may be duplicated under more exact conditions by sur- 

 rounding the fruit with an atmosphere of carbon-dioxid gas. 



Experiments are now in progress to develop a practical method of 

 using the carbon-dioxid process under commercial conditions, and 

 work for the coming season has been planned along these lines in co- 

 operation with persimmon growers in Florida. 



Pineapple drying. — Experiments in drying pineapples, in order 

 that surplus ripe fruit and fruits too small for shipment may be 

 utilized during periods of low prices, showed that a very acceptable 

 product can be produced by partially drying and sugaring the fruits. 

 The partially dry fruit absorbs a considerable portion of the sugar 

 and a very acceptable sirup is produced as a residue. The dried and 

 sugared pineapple is delicious when first prepared, but the indications 

 are that some means of preserving its flavor and color is necessary. 

 Experiments to determine these points are in progress. 



Wliile the drying and sugaring of pineapples is a rather expensive 

 process, yielding a product suitable only for confectionery, it is ex- 

 pected that this way of utilizing the surplus fruits, in connection 

 with the possible production of pineapple juice and sirup, will prove 

 a practicable means of disposing of what would otherwise be wasted. 



Fruit juices.- -Experiments with methods of preparing, sterilizing, 

 and handling juices of various fruits are in progress. The fruits 

 used include oranges, lemons, pineapples, peaches, grapes, cherries, 

 strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, huckleberries, and 

 elderberries. A determination of the proper methods of preparing 

 the juices is being made, and their holding qualities after sterilization 

 and in cold storage without sterilization are being studied. 



