32 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 398 



Factors Affecting the Sweetness Perception in Ice Cream. (J. H. Nair III 

 and M. J. Mack.) A study was made of the percentage of butterfat, the source 

 of butterfat, the ratio of fat to serum solids, the pH of the mix, the effects of salts 

 present, the types of vanilla used, and the serving temperature of the ice cream 

 and their effects on the sweetness perception in ice cream. The work has not 

 been completed, but the preliminary study indicates the following conclusions: 



There is a relation between sweetness and body and texture of ice cream. 



The kind and amount of sugar in high-fat ice cream mixes definitely affect 

 the quality of the ice cream. The use of corn syrup solids seems to prevent a 

 crumbly texture and improves the body. 



Temperature definitely affects the sweetness perception; soft ice cream tastes 

 sweeter than hard. 



DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS 

 Philip L. Gamble in Charge 



Effects of the War and Readjustments in Massachusetts Agriculture. (David 

 Rozman.) This project is devised to take account of agricultural readjustments 

 already in progress, with the expectation of facilitating the attainment of national 

 goals in agricultural production and of providing a basis for a program of indi- 

 vidual and public action after the present emergency is over. 



So far the investigation has been directed toward obtaining a picture of re- 

 adjustments in the dairy industry as the most important factor of agricultural 

 production in the State. B>- analyzing data from the Animal Inspection records 

 it has been possible to determine the distribution of cow herds in relation to their 

 number and size in various sections of the State. Between January 1941 and Jan- 

 uary 1942, the total number of cows two years old and over on Massachusetts 

 farms declined from 146,424 to 141,302. During 1941 there was a general decline 

 in the number and proportion of smaller herds; while the herds with twenty cows 

 and over increased both in total number and in the proportion of animals in the 

 group. The distribution of cows by size of herds will have a major effect on the 

 agricultural labor problem because, to the extent that production is concentrated 

 in larger herds, there will be greater need for hired labor. 



DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING 

 C. I. Gunness in Charge 



Cranberry Storage Investigation. (C. I. Gunness, H. J. Franklin, and H. F. 

 Bergman.) The studies on storage of cranberries were continued during the fall 

 of 1942. Samples of Early Blacks from the Experiment Station bog and from a 

 commercial bog were stored in a commercial air-cooled screenhouse and in re- 

 frigerated experimental storage at two different temperatures, 45° and 35°. 

 Both lots were picked on September 14, placed in storage immediately, and 

 removed and screened on October 22. The storage and screening loss differed 

 for the two lots of berries, but in both cases was greatest for the air-cooled storage 

 and least for the refrigerated storage at 35°. There was much less difference be- 

 tween the two refrigerated storages than between the air-cooled and the re- 

 frigerated. 



The berries from the Experiment Station bog were so well colored when picked 

 that no appreciable change in coloring was noticeable in the different storages. 

 Those picked from the other bog were "green" when picked. Those stored at 



