4 BULLETIN 686;, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



in all cases were similar to those given in Table I. The significant 

 fact is that the only perceptible difference between the boxes was in 

 their temperature after loading on the cars. Boxes of berries as 

 nearly alike as possible were chosen for the experiment. The berries 

 were of the same variety, grown in the same locality, picked at the 

 same time, and inoculated in the same way with the spores and 

 mycehum of Rhizopus nigricans which came from a single original 

 culture. 



WASHING STRAWBERRIES. 



Washing strawberries before packing for shipment is regularly 

 practiced by a few growers in Florida and is resorted to by a large 

 number when the berries are very sandy. Experiments conducted in 

 Florida by the writers during 1916 (12, pp. 15-19) showed that the 

 practice is not necessarily harmful provided the fruit is packed wet,^ 

 handled with care, and placed under refrigeration within a reasonable 

 time. They indicated, indeed, that the keeping quality of the fruit 

 might even be improved by this treatment. To allow the washed 

 fruit to dry before packing, on the other hand, had a decidedly 

 injurious effect. 



In order to verify these results, the writers experimented by washing 

 strawberries in Louisiana and Missouri during 1917. Various 

 methods of washing were first tested. Experiments were conducted 

 in which a part of the berries were packed in boxes and then washed 

 either by dipping the entire box in clean cold water or by running the 

 water over and through the box, while an equal quantity of the 

 berries was poured into the water, dipped out immediately, and then 

 packed in boxes. Klondike berries picked at Hammond, La., were 

 used and after treatment were placed in crates while wet and examined 

 after 48 hours. Table II summarizes the results of these tests. 



Table II. — A comparison of the keeping quality of strawberries washed before packing 

 with stratvberries washed after packing at Hammond, La., in 1917. 





Washed after packing. 



Washed before packing 



Treatment. 



Number of 

 berries. 



Sound on 

 examina- 

 tion. 



Number of 

 berries. 



Sound on 

 examina- 

 tion. 





183 



Per cent. 

 28 

 56 



143 



786 



Per cent. 

 13 



Shipped to Chicago under refrigeration 



Total 



820 



45 



1, 003 



51 



920 



40 



Without exception, the results were in favor of packing the fruit 

 before rather than after washing. In subsequent washing experi- 

 ments, therefore, this method was followed. 



1 StUl better results are obtained by packing dry and then washing. 



