94 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 265 



Earlier storage experiments with Early Blacks and Howes reported in 

 Bulletin 198 of this Station showed results closely similar to those of this 

 series. 



Grapefruit in cold storage show relatively more loss of acid than of sugar 

 (7). Apples show a shrinkage in both acid and total sugar as the storage 

 season lengthens (2), which accounts doubtless for the gradual loss of flavor 

 or "dead ripe" character. 



Cranberries preserve their tart flavor practically unchanged during stor- 

 age and the cooking quality in sound berries is maintained. 



Comparison of Varieties of Cranberries in 1929 



The results of the analysis of varieties of cranberries in 1928 led to the 

 comparison of a larger number in the following jear. The study was under- 

 taken at the suggestion of Dr. Franklin, who for several years has been sys- 

 tematically comparing the characteristics of the named varieties of cran- 

 berries. Through his efiforts, aided by Dr. N. E. Stevens of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, samples of 61 varieties of cranberries were re- 

 ceived at the laboratory between October 1 and November 30, 1929, the larger 

 part of them arriving before the close of October. The varieties were rep- 

 resented by 116 different saifiples, of which 87 were from Massachusetts, 13 

 from New Jersey and 16 from Wisconsin. Nearly all were shipped by ex- 

 press and upon arrival at the Experiment Station were placed at once in cold 

 storage along with apples. 



The samples from Massachusetts were all shipped in standard boxes hold- 

 ing one-fourth barrel each, and having ventilated sides. Those from a distance 

 were generally shipped in boxes which contained several samples of 3 to 4 

 quarts each. 



Beginning the first week in November a group of small samples was 

 taken from the boxes in cold storage, at approximately weekly intervals, and 

 brought to the laboratory. The sampling and analyzing were finished before 

 the end of March, 1930. A small sample consisted of about 3 quarts and was 

 taken from the top to the center of the box containing the variety. Each 

 sample was sorted by hand, and the proportions of sound and unsound ber- 

 ries recorded for comparison of keeping qualities of the varieties. 



From the sound fruit, charges were weighed for determination of total 

 acid, total sugar and dry matter. Acid and sugar were both determined in the 

 same charge of fresh berries by using different portions of the solution pre- 

 pared from them. The charge for dry matter was cut and dried as previous- 

 ly described in the study of ripening. 



It will be noted in scanning the data that not only are there some strik- 

 ing variations in composition between varieties but that when a variety is 

 represented by several samples the composition of the different samples is far 

 from uniform. Of the constituents determined, sugar varied most widely, and 

 the previous studies of ripening and storage serve in some measure to explain 

 the differences. Sugar was shown to increase from week to week until the 

 cranberries were harvested but after removal from the vines the berries lost 

 sugar more or less steadily during storage. 



There was no control of the harvesting period for any of these variety 

 samples. They were picked at the convenience of the grower and held until 



