664 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



fruit may be raised or lowered from 10 to 30 per cent or more by closing or opening 

 the same brush. The brush is always full of mold spores, and if the fruit has been 

 clipper cut, or injured in any other way, the brush is likely to deposit disease spores 

 in these bruised places, which will eventually develop decay. 



Experiments are under way to determine the effect of delay in cooling fruit before 

 shipping. The experiments thus far indicate that the orange can be placed in any 

 market in the country in prime condition if it is shipped quickly after picking in a 

 cold condition. The author is not so certain about the results where the fruit stands 

 in a packing house several days before packing and cooling. The results of several 

 shipments to New York indicate that the cut fruit can be shipped with not more 

 than 5 per cent of decay if the fruit is loaded in the refrigerator car quickly after the 

 injury has been made. If, however, the oranges are delayed several days in the 

 packing house it is probable that no degree of cooling that could be maintained by a 

 refrigerator car could wholly eliminate the trouble. 



An experiment was made in which oranges were stored at a temperature of 32° F., 

 immediately after picking, and after 27, 52, and 94 hours' delay, respectively. The 

 fruit had been inoculated with the blue mold. The record of decay made 10 days 

 after the storage in each case is as follows: Immediate storage, no decay; 27 hours 

 delay, no decay; 52 hours delay, 15.5 per cent decay; 94 hours delay, 75.5 per cent 

 decay. ' ' From these data and the experience in fruit storage we have no hesitation in 

 saying that oranges ought to be packed in the quickest possible time where they 

 are to be shipped in warm weather under ice." 



Attention is called to the decay of fruits after they have been in cold storage. Cold 

 storage simply retards decay, and if the fruits have been inoculated with disease 

 spores it is likely they will decay after they have been removed from the cold-storage 

 room. The fault, however, is not with the cold storage but with* the previous condi- 

 tion of the fruit. The gist of this same article also appears in Pacific Rural Press (69 

 (1905), No. 17, pp. 260, 261). 



The newer strawberries, W. J. Green and F. H. Ballou (Ohio Sta. Bui. 166, 

 pp. 20. ) — Descriptive notes on 50 of the newer varieties of strawberries grown at the 

 station during the year, with a tabular account of the behavior of many of the older 

 sorts as well. 



The authors deprecate the use of the term ' ' pedigree ' ' strawberry plants, since 

 those thus called are not pedigreed plants at all, while really pedigreed strawberry 

 plants have no value above those without a pedigree. The word "pedigree" is a 

 misnomer when applied to strawberry plants, tends to confusion in the minds of 

 many, and leads to deception. In 1903 the "pedigreed" plants of 7 varieties were 

 compared with plants of the same varieties obtained from a reliable grower. Five 

 of the 7 varieties gave better yields from the common than from the so-called "pedi- 

 greed" plants. 



The experiment was repeated in 1905 with very similar results. 



Strawberry culture in Cuba, H. J. Squiers (Mo. Consular Rpts. [U. &], 1905, 

 No. 297, pp. 178, '179). — Notes are given on the methods of strawberry culture fol- 

 lowed by W. P. Ladd, an American living in Santiago de las Vegas. Chocolate land 

 has been found better than red land for this plant as the latter appears to be too 

 porous and dries out easily. From about three-fourths of an acre $1,000 worth of 

 strawberries were sold, giving a net profit of $597. 



Small fruits, J. F. Nicholson (Oklahoma Sta. Bui. 69, pp. 20).— Popular direc- 

 tions based on work at the station are given for the culture of blackberries, dewber- 

 ries, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, and currants, with accounts of the dis- 

 eases and insects affecting these different fruits, and suggestions as to means of control. 

 Of all small fruits, blackberries and dewberries succeed the best. Raspberries are 

 not well adapted to the climate of Oklahoma, and gooseberries and currants do not 

 succeed. 



