10 



MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 168. 



different dates in September and October, and was examined during the 

 first week in January by what is called in this report the "nine-sample" 

 method. In this method nine samples from each box were examined, one 

 sample, Te (1) and Te (2), being taken from the top or surface berries at 

 each end of the box; one sample, Tm, from the surface berries at the 

 middle of the box; one sample. Me (1) and Me (2), from the berries half- 

 way between the top and the bottom of the box at each end ; one sample. 

 Mm, from the very center of the box; one sample. Be (1) and Be (2), from 

 the very bottom of the box at each end; and one sample, Bm, from the 

 bottom of the box at the middle. The totals of the counts of each of these 

 samples from all of the thirty-nine boxes in this series of tests are given in 

 the following table : — 



Table 5. — Relationship of Ventilation (Relative Humidity) to Rate of 

 Decay. — Results of Third Series of Storage Tests. 



The results of this series of tests, as shown by the figures in the table, 

 confirm those of the first two series. The berries at the bottom of the box 

 developed less decay than those halfway between the top and bottom, and 

 those at the middle of the box (at the top and the bottom as well as at the 

 center) rotted more than those at the ends, this giving additional evidence 

 that the berries most subject to ventilation decay least rapidly. 



4. Two lots, one consisting of 3 bushels of Late Howe berries stored in 

 three l-bushel boxes, and the other of 3 bushels of berries of the same 

 variety, picked at the same time and in the same place as those of the 

 first lot, divided up equally among nine boxes of the same size and con- 

 struction as those used for storing the first lot, their sides being slatted 

 and their bottoms solid, all being new. This series of tests was begun on 

 October 29, and the berries were examined on January 10; the "nine- 

 sample" method of examination, described in the discussion of the third 



