6 



sugared fruit slices, prepared as in Experiments 4 and 5, were kept 

 in tight glass jars until September 20, when they were pressed into 

 half-pound bricks and stored in small wooden boxes, as in Experi- 

 ment 3. The products remained perfectly sound, but in all cases 

 the fine golden yellow color gradually changed to a light brown. 



EXPERIMENT 6, OCTOBER 15, 1909. 



This experiment was carried out as in the case of Experiments 4 

 and 5, except that an attempt was made to incorporate the sirup 

 which separated, by mixing it with the finished product, allowing it 

 to stand for two days, and redrying. The experiment was only 

 partly successful, as a large part of the sirup taken up by the slices 

 dripped off in the drier. 



EXPERIMENT 7, OCTOBER 16, 1909. 



In this experiment there was an attempt to reincorporate the sirup 

 by prolonging the time of standing after mixing. Very little sirup 

 was taken up, and the experiment was not carried to completion. 

 While it is possible to add the separated sirup to the dried fruit, it 

 is probably better to avoid its formation as far as possible, on 

 account of the danger of fermentation during the time the fruit and 

 sirup are in contact. 



EXPERIMENT 8, OCTOBER 19, 1909. 



A set of tests was undertaken at the suggestion of Doctor Bigelow 

 to determine whether the formation of sirup could be prevented by 

 carrying the preliminary drying further before sugaring. The data 

 are shown in the table, the two sets of experiments 8a and 8b having 

 been made with fruit grown at two localities in Florida. 



The very long period in contact with sugar one hundred and thirty- 

 seven hours was required because the slices, which were rather 

 overdried, took up sugar very slowly. One of the samples, No. a-4, 

 fermented perceptibly during this period and lost considerably in 

 quality. Such a long interval of sugaring is not desirable, and a period 

 of about sixteen hours will usually be sufficient. Experiment 8, as 

 a whole, shows that sirup formation can be nearly if not entirely 

 eliminated. 



The dried slices from Experiments 4 to 8, inclusive, were pressed 

 into bricks and placed in small wooden boxes. With the exception 

 of the samples sent to cold storage at 32 F., the boxes were kept in 

 museum jars at room temperature. An examination of these sam- 

 ples made on March 3, 1910, showed that all were perfectly sound, 

 and very attractive in appearance and flavor. They had lost some- 



[Cir. 57] 



