840 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Storage and transportation investigations with citrus fruits and grapes, 

 A. V. Stubenrauch (Ice and Refrig., 36 (1909), No. 1, pp. 8, 9). — In the investi- 

 gation reported, conducted by this Department during the summer of 1908, on 

 the behavior of California Valencia oranges stored at different stages of maturity 

 and held for different lengths of time at both 32° F. and at 40 to 42°, the 

 oranges held in cold storage at these temperatures began to deteriorate from a 

 mouth to 6 weeks after they were put in storage. Both the appearance and eat- 

 ing quality of the fruit were affected. The deterioration was slower and less 

 marked, however, at the higher temperatures than at 32°. The fruit was af- 

 fected by various skin troubles, the nature of which has not been determined, 

 but which are believed to be connected with low temperatures in storage, since 

 some lots of fruit held in cellar storage at about 60 to 65° showed no trace of 

 these diseases. 



Similar preliminary experiments in the cold storage of lemons showed that 

 the fruit stored at 40 to 42° held in better condition longer than that stored at 

 32°, and indicated that when lemons are handled pi'operly they will keep for a 

 long time when held in common storage at ordinary temperatures. 



Tabular data are given showing the results of 2 years' experience in the cold 

 storage of table grapes in California. It was found possible to hold the grapes 

 from 65 to 100 days in excellent condition when packed in fine ground cork, 

 whereas similar fruit packed in the ordinary commercial way held but from 10 

 to 20 days. Shipping experiments with table grapes showed that the grapes rot 

 least in transit and after arrival when the fruit has been picked and packed with 

 great care and is shipped quickly after packing. The shipping quality of the 

 grapes is improved by packing in cork dust, but tests made of various substi- 

 tutes for cork dust indicate that redwood sawdust will prove entirely satisfac- 

 tory. The results as a whole indicate, as in the previous work with citrus 

 fruits (E. S. R., 20, p. 43), that much of the loss arising during storage and 

 transportation is due primarily to improper methods of preparing the fruit for 

 shipment. 



The decay of Florida oranges while in transit and on the market, L. S. 

 Tenny, G. W. Hosford, and H. ISI. White {U. S. Dcpt. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. 

 Cue. 19, pp. 8, figs. 2). — During the season of 1906-7, the Bureau of Plant In- 

 dustry commenced an investigation of the cause of decaj' in oranges shipped 

 from Florida similar in nature, to the investigation recently reported on Cali- 

 fornia oranges (E. S. R., 20, p. 43). This circular summarizes the results 

 secured for the past 2 seasons. So far as the investigation has gone the re- 

 sults appear to confirm those secured in California, and show that the decay 

 of oranges is closely connected with rough methods of handling the fruit in 

 the groves and packing houses. Numerous details of grove, packing-house, and 

 transportation methods are to be given further attention. 



Orange trees for Texas, H. M. Stringfellow {Texas Farm and Ranch, 28 

 (1900), A'o. 2, pp. 10-12). — The author discusses the possibilities of oi'ange cul- 

 ture in south Texas, as indicated by past experience. It appears that this 

 section has been visited by killing freezes of short duration at irregular inter- 

 vals several years apart. Among the methods suggested for the protection of 

 tree trunks the author advocates the trial of sheet asbestos to be wrapped 

 around the trunk of the tree. The circulation of air from beneath the wrap- 

 ]iing is prevented by drawing a small amount of earth around the bottom and 

 stuffing a little cotton between the tree and the wrapping at the upper end. 



A B C of lime cultivation, .J. Jones et al. (Imp. Dept. Agr. West Indies 

 Pamphlet 53, 1908, pp. //<S). — This pamphlet is of a popular nature containing 

 instructions on the various details of lime culture and the preparation for 

 market of green and pickled limes, raw and concentrated lime juice, citrate of 



