40 



THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



e. g., varying from about 50 per cent to about 95 per cent daily, due to 

 ventilation or other causes, very little development of the callous was 

 observed. 



It was also found that with a condition of uniformly high relative 

 humidity, e. g., about 90 per cent, comparatively little loss of weight 

 in the cured fruits was observed, irrespective of the temperature during 

 storage. For instance, in the rooms where the high relative humidity 

 was maintained the loss in the weight of the fruits, from the time when 

 they were stored until they were cured, was about two and one-half per 

 cent per month. Under natural conditions of storage, i. e., where the 

 condition of relative humidity frequently varied from about 60 to about 

 90 per cent, the loss in weight of fruits was about five per cent per month. 

 The temperature of the air in both cases was the same and the curing 

 process in both cases took place in about the same length of time. 



It was further observed in the course of these experiments that the 

 lemons which had been cured under uniform conditions of high relative 

 humidity, e. g., 90 per cent, developed a smoother texture, lighter color, 

 and better commercial appearance than those where a condition of low 

 relative humidity, c. g., 70 per cent, was maintained, or where the 

 condition of relative humidity fluctuated over a considerable range 

 during the periods of storage. 



On August 4, 1916, Mr. Chase placed in one of the rooms, which was 

 partly filled with lemons undergoing the curing process, a box of hard, 

 ripe Bartlett pears. The conditions of temperature and relative humid- 

 ity in this room during the period of pear storage is shown in the 

 accompanying table. 



DAILY MAXIMUM. 



Conditions of Temperature and Relative Humidity During the Period of Bartlett 



Pear Storage- 

 Ventilated for about one-half hour daily for a number of days following August 16, 

 reducing both temperature and humidity, the relative humidity going as low as 

 54 per cent, but on closing the vents the temperature and humidity came back 

 almost immediately. 



It will be observed that in the beginning of this experiment the 

 temperature was as low as 83 degrees Fahrenheit on August 6th. For 

 the most part after this date until August 29th, the temperature was 

 very high, reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit on August 27th. The 



