300 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 172. 



Although B imbibed water and increased in weight, there was really 

 greater destructi n of dry matter than in the bunch C, which was kept 

 in the refrigerator. The actual amount of change under each condition 

 is shown on the basis of 100 parts of fresh asparagus in Tables IV. and V. 



Prctein was little changed, but sugar was partly destroyed. The loss 

 of sugar was a little in excess of the loss of dry matter. 



There was a marked change in the relative proportions of protein 

 nitrogen and amino nitrogen in B in both experiments, as shown in 

 Tables II. and III. The chemical activity changed the form of nitrogen 

 compounds but not their total amount, as shown in Tables IV. and V. 



The work was not continued in 1915 on account of other investigations 

 that seemed more important. In the spring of 1916 the investigation 

 was resumed and several different experiments were conducted. 



Experiment S. — This experiment was begun May 29, 1916. This 

 lot of stalks was brought to the laboratory from the plots as soon as 

 cut. The plots had not been cut over for two days and the stalks were 

 too tall and the heads had begun to open too much for good marketable 

 asparagus. The stalks were washed and scrubbed with a brush to remove 

 all adhering soil, and wiped dry with towels. The lot was then separated 

 into five bunches as uniform as possible in appearance, after which each 

 bunch was weighed and placed under its assigned conditions. 



A was broken in short pieces, spread on a tray and placed in the oven at 

 a temperature between 50° and 60° C. B was set upright in a jar with 

 the butts in water and left in the laboratory at the room temperature. C 

 was wrapped loosely in paper and laid on the shelf beside B. D was laid 

 directly upon the cake of ice in the refrigerator. E was stood upright 



