PKOCESS OF KIPENING IN THE TOMATO. 



19 



It seems that a clue to the reason for this irregularity is afforded by 

 Table V, showing weather conditions for the period previous to pick- 

 ing the samples. Just before picking this particular sample there 

 was a rainfall of 9.10 inches within 36 hours. This precipitation 

 was as unusual for the locality as it was injurious. Not only was 

 the actual rainfall excessive, but the overflow from the Everglades 

 still further complicated the situation. In some places a total loss 

 resulted, and everywhere some damage was reported. At Peters, 

 Fla. ; where the fruit for this investigation was grown, the loss was 

 comparatively small, but the ground was saturated for more than a 

 week. In view of the fact that the only anomalous moisture content 

 was found in the 35-day fruit, it seems justifiable to correlate it with 

 the excessive rainfall. It would hardly be warranted, however, to 

 conclude from this one instance that the moisture content is higher 

 after a heavy rain than normally. The coincidence is merely pointed 

 out and should be of some interest in view of the widespread opinion 

 in the canning industry that a heavy rainfall increases the amount 

 of water in tomatoes. Bigelow (11) was recently unable to draw 

 any definite conclusions with regard to this matter. 



Table V. — Weight and equatorial diameter of tomatoes at dates when samples were taken, 

 together with mean temperature and total precipitation for the period (usually seven days) 

 preceding sampling. 



Time of sampling. 



Color of fruit. 



Average 

 weight 

 (grams). 



Average 



diameter 



(cm.). 



Meteorological data. 



Tempera- 

 ture (°F.). 



Precipita- 

 tion 

 (inches). 



Age 14 days. 

 Age 21 days. 

 Age 28 days. 

 Age 35 days. 

 Age 42 days. 

 Age 56 days . 



Mean. 

 Total. 



Green 



do 



do 



do 



do 



Turning to red . 



6.74 

 63.65 

 82.37 

 95.10 

 147.91 

 162. 81 



2.31 

 5.18 

 5.47 



5.47 

 6.37 

 6.38 



0.83 

 .24 

 .01 



9.42 

 .27 

 .09 



10.85 



Inversely with moisture, total solids show a gradual decrease as 

 the tomato matures. Turning to section B of Table IV, which gives 

 the same data as those of section A of the same table, but reduced 

 to a dry-weight basis, the sugar-free solids are seen to decrease con- 

 siderably, while soluble carbohydrates increase and insoluble carbo- 

 hydrates decrease regularly. Total carbohydrates vary somewhat, 

 but in general seem to show an increase. 



Regarding the changes in acidity, there is considerable fluctuation, 

 but when we consider the changes in a general way there is an increase 

 in quantity from the second week to the fifth and then a gradual 

 decrease during the last three weeks of ripening. The total quantity 

 of acid found in the red-ripe fruit is, however, still greater than in 



