ANNUAL REPORT, 1939 73 



Several technical adjustments were necessary before the survey could be 

 undertaken. Lack of uniformity in instruments was a major problem. The 

 addition of a chin rest, a white visor, and voltage-control were improvements 

 necessary to satisfactory use of the instrument. 



The survey of students, faculty, and some other interested persons covered 

 248 subjects ranging from 5 to 65 years. Of the 163 college students tested only 

 3 percent gave readings above the normal range (1-5 minutes); of the 75 adults, 

 18 percent were abnormally high. The self-selection of the adult group, dictated 

 by a personal interest or recognized pathology, may have brought the subnormal 

 average for this group higher than would have been true for a fairer cross-section 

 of society. 



The color of eyes was recorded for each subject tested and the data studied to 

 discover whether this factor appeared to have any significance. The percentage 

 falling outside the normal range was slightly higher for the "light eye" group 

 than for the "dark eye" group. The peak for both groups fell at about 1.75 min- 

 utes, however, and a relatively small group of stragglers accounted for the sub- 

 normal averages. 



Seventeen subjects whose time of adaptation was more than five minutes formed 

 a group for further study. Each subject agreed to take three haliver oil capsules 

 daily for 15 days and return for another reading on the adaptometer. Five of 

 the subjects failed to improve, six showed less than one minute improvement 

 and six improved from one to three minutes. The time for more extensive study 

 of these subnormal subjects was limited by the end of the school year. 



DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURAL MANUFACTURES 

 W. W. Chenoweth in Charge 



Cranberry Research. (C. R. Fellers, A. S. Levine, F. Yourga, and J. Lubitz.) 

 Experimental work has been conducted on several new cranberry by-products 

 such as juice, syrup, relish, and wine. By destroying the natural pectin in raw- 

 pressed cranberry juice by means of the enzyme preparation, Pectinol, the juice 

 may be concentrated and sweetened as much as desired without pectin precipita- 

 tion. Cranberry relish prepared from sliced cranberries and sugar together with 

 apple or orange can be held for several months in glass jars without heat treat- 

 ment. Sherry wine and dilute alcohol solutions serve to preserve and flavor the 

 relish for longer periods. 



Cooperative research with the Cranberry Station and the Department of En- 

 gineering on storage conditions has been continued. Gas analysis of cranberries 

 stored under varying conditions shows that breakdown occurred much more 

 slowly at temperatures below 45° F. than at 55°. There are two types of break- 

 down or softening: physiological and phytopathological. Both were greatly 

 accelerated by raising the storage temperature. Another aspect of storage work 

 has shown that "floats" from the bogs can be materially improved in keeping 

 quality by prompt drying at low temperatures. Such berries may now be used 

 for shipping as fresh fruit as well as being utilized in manufactured cranberry 

 products. 



Some woik has been carried out in prepaiing a "syrup of cranberry" for use 

 as vehicle in compounding drugs and medicines. A very satisfactory syrup was 

 made by cold-pressing the berries and sweetening the juice. Excessive pectin 

 is obtained when the berries are heat extracted. This syrup served as an ex- 

 cellent carrier and masking agent for chloral hydrate, potassium acetate, ammo- 

 nium chloride, and many other substances. 



