302 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 172. 



Table VII. 



Experiment 5. — The stalks were brought to the laboratory on the 

 morning of June 15, 1916. The weather for two days had been cooler 

 than usual, so that the asparagus had grown less rapidly than at the time 

 of the two previous trials. The stallcs were about 10 inches long, with 

 close heads. The lot was divided into six bunches, A, B, C, D, E and F. 



As usual, A was prepared for the drying oven at once. The other five 

 bunches were stood upright in a tin box with a tight cover and with no 

 water in it. The box with its contents was placed in the refrigerator. 



The two previous experiments had shown that the asparagus stalks 

 would become Ump even when on the ice, unless their butts were in water. 

 The tight box was chosen in order to reduce the evaporation to the lowest 

 point by keeping the stalks in a close atmosphere. Tliis atmosphere was 

 soon saturated with moisture by the exhalations from the stalks, but there 

 was no water for imbibition. The imbibed water promotes chemical 

 activity, and the stalks with butts in water, while remaining firm and 

 crisp, actually lose dry matter more rapidly than those held out of water, 

 which become limp, as shown by B and E when compared with C and D 

 in Tables VI. and VII. 



One bunch at a time was removed from the box, at intervals of two 

 to four days. 



June 19, four days after cutting, B was taken out. Stalks were firm 

 and crisp, apparently as fresh as when placed in the box. Drops of 

 moisture appeared on the walls of the box and on the stalks. The stalks 

 were wiped dry with a towel and then weighed. After being weighed 

 the stalks were broken and spread on a tray and dried in the oven as usual. 



June 21, six days after cutting, C was removed. Stalks were apparently 

 as sound and fresh as B. Subsequent treatment was as usual. 



June 23, eight days after cutting, D was removed. The stalks in this 

 bunch were slightly limp, but not as limp as bunches kept on ice for a 

 day or two in the circulating atmosphere of the refrigerator. The bunch 

 was treated as usual. 



June 26, eleven days after cutting, E was removed. The stalks were 

 firm and plump, but this may have been due to imbibition of water 



