6 4 8 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. XX, No. 8 



Table IV.- 



-Summary of differences between successive samplings {average of bags of 

 same mark) — Continued 



2 Third sampling compared with first. 



It will be seen that in practically all instances there has been a reduc- 

 tion in polarization between successive samplings. With regard to 

 moisture content, however, there appears to be an increase in a majority 

 of instances. It is interesting in this connection to note that, with the 

 exception of the Cab sugars, an increase in polarization is accompanied 

 by a decrease in moisture content. Naturally, this means that there has 

 actually been a loss in weight of sugar. Furthermore, it will be seen that 

 the surface of each bag decreased in moisture content, or dried out, as 

 might be expected, much more rapidly than the middle of the same bag. 

 In the sugars which have deteriorated it will be observed that there has 

 been an increase in percentage of reducing sugars in successive samplings. 

 However, as a rule this increase is more noticeable in the middle of the 

 bag than at the surface where the deterioration does continue to progress 

 at the initial rate. The conditions of temperature and humidity were 

 such as to preclude the possibility of deterioration taking place more 

 rapidly from the surface of the bag than from the interior of the bag, as 

 occurs under average conditions which were noted in the previous experi- 

 ment. 1 The moisture ratio was variable and does not permit of any 

 generalization. 



In considering the number of microorganisms it will be seen that in 

 most instances there was an increase between successive samplings. 

 In general it was found in corroboration of the results previously set forth 

 that the increase in numbers of microorganisms was relatively more rapid 

 during the first month of incubation than subsequently. Likewise it is 

 to be noted that there is usually a greater number of microorganisms in 

 the middle of the bag than at the surface, where drying out occurs. It 

 will be shown in Table V, which is again corroborative of previous work, 

 that there is correlation between the number of microorganisms and 

 deterioration where the initial content is high or multiplication has been 

 rapid. The percentage of molds is variable, and a tendency to decrease 



1 Kopeloff, Nicholas, and Perkins, H. Z. E. op. err., 1920. 



