1 1 6 Journal of A gricultural Research voi. v. no. 3 



in the opening paragraphs of this article, is easily explained on the basis 

 of their being oxidase changes, since it is a well-known fact in enzymology 

 that the presence of a large excess of the end products of a reaction gen- 

 erally inhibits the action of the accelerating enzym in increasing degree 

 as the proportion of the end product increases. Carbon dioxid is un- 

 doubtedly the end product of oxidase activity and should therefore 

 accomplish just the result which was found to occur in the jar in which 

 this gas was used. 



The small amounts of esterase and of protease which were found in the 

 ripening apples indicate the possibihty of the hydrolytic decomposition 

 of the small quantity of essential oil and of protein material contained 

 in the flesh of the apple during the ripening process or subsequent break- 

 ing down of the tissue. 



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