REPORT OF CRANBERRY SUBSTATION FOR 1916. 195 



The berries were put into jars to prevent too free circulation of air, and the jars 

 were inverted to permit the heavy carbon dioxide gas to diffuse through the filter 

 paper and escape. Beginning December 16, and thereafter at fortnightly intervals, 

 a jar was removed from the closet. The contents were weighed, rotten berries 

 were picked out and weighed, and a sample of sound berries was used for an esti- 

 mation of the actual dry matter in the fruits. 



Each successive date showed more and more decayed fruit, and on March 17 

 the last two jars were removed together, because it seemed useless to continue the 

 experiment further. 



Table 5. ■ — Analyses of Cranberries. — Dry-Matter Content at End oj 

 Various Periods of Storage. 



Professor Morse remarks concerning these results as follows : — 



The loss in weight is due partly to the shrinkage in the decayed berries, which 

 is caused by decomposition and evaporation. 



The sound fruit showed a small but positive diminution in dry matter after the 

 first fortnight, but not an increasing one. Only by weighing individual berries 

 could it be positively determined how much the cranberry loses in weight while 

 yet sound. The small shrinkage in proportion of dry matter indicates that respi- 

 ratory destruction occurs, as in apples, pears, etc. 



2. Temperature of Berries lohen picked. — These investigations were not 

 storage tests, strictly speaking, but as their results bear on the matter of 

 cooling previous to storage they are included here. 



Air temperatures and temperatures taken among berries in crates as 

 soon as they were filled by pickers were recorded by Dr. Stevens, as shown 

 in Table 6. 



