HOETICULTURE. 737 



stock and variety varies on the liglit and the lieavy soils. Trifoliata roots 

 dwarf the lemon to an undesirahle degree. In all cases there is a decided in- 

 crease of the stock above ground when trifoliata has been used. 



Improvement of lemon varieties by bud selection, A. D. Shamel (Proc. 

 Fruit Growers' Conv. Cal, 45 (1914), pp. 257-266, figs. 5).— A progress report 

 on the author's work in bud selection (E. S. R., 32, p. 439). 



As to the results secured in improving lemon trees, the author concludes in 

 brief that in the experimental work and in the practical rebudding work carried 

 out by cooperators " we have as yet to find a single exception to the rule that 

 Ihe unproductive and undesirable types of healthy trees can be successfully 

 top-worked and replaced with productive and desirable types of lemon trees by 

 rebudding." 



The relation of washing to decay in "Washington navel oranges ; season of 

 1914-15, C. W. ]Mann {U. S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus., Relation of Wash- 

 ing to Decay in WasJiington Naval Oranges, 1915, pp. 4)- — The results of 

 previous investigations of the Bureau of Plant Industry (E. S. It., 20, p. 43) 

 have shown that washing even under the most favorable conditions is followed 

 by an increase in the decay in the packed fruit. In the present paper the author 

 describes an investigation conducted by the Bureau during the orange sliipping 

 season of 1914-15 to determine the relation of handling to the occurrence of 

 decay resulting from the methods used in the washing and subsequent drying 

 of the fruit. A comparison was made between fruit very carefully picked by 

 the Bureau men with the same kind of fruit handled under ordinary commercial 

 conditions. All of the fruit was washed in the ordinary machinery, a part being 

 packed while still moist and wet and an equal amount of fruit thoroughly dried 

 before packing. A part of the same fruit was packed without washing or 

 brushing. 



The data secured from these tests show that the percentage of decay in care- 

 fully handled fruit was increased from 1.8 per cent in the unwashed fruit to 

 3.4 per cent in the washed and thoroughly dried fruit and to 3.9 per cent in the 

 washed fruit packed wet. In the ordinary commercially handled lots the aver- 

 age percentage of decay in the unwashed fruit was 8.3 per cent. Washing fol- 

 lowed by thorough drying increased the decay to 11.4 per cent, and in the same 

 fruit packed wet the average decay was 13.9 per cent. The difference in the 

 percentages of decay developing in the wet and dry packed fruit was consider- 

 ably greater during the period of cloudy or wet weather early in the season. 

 The figures given are the averages for the whole season. 



The work in general indicates that the looses from decay resulting from 

 packing improperly dried oranges are directly in proportion to the care exer- 

 cised in the methods of handling. 



Experiments were made to determine the time required to dry the fruit under 

 different conditions of temperature and humidity. The most rapid evaporation 

 of the moisture of the fruit took place with dry air at a temperature of 130° F. 

 The time varied approximately 11 minutes with an air blast having a tempera- 

 ture of 55° and a relative humidity of 70 per cent to about one minute with air 

 at a temperature of 130° and a humidity of 14 per cent. In experiments con- 

 ducted with two types of driers it was found that infection with blue mold may 

 be increased if the dusty air from the packing house is blown on the fruit in 

 the air blast. In an efficient system of drying the cost of heating air to a 

 temperature of 130° should not exceed $1 per car of packed fruit. 



Some experiments in pineapple planting, S. M. Capistrano (Philippine Agr. 

 and Forester, 4 (1915). No. 2, pp. 45-50).— A number of cultural experiments 

 and a variety test conducted by the author at the College of Agriculture are 

 reported. 



