iQ2o] OVERHOLSER &• TAYLOR— TEMPERATURES 281 



the shelves were covered with drops of precipitated moisture, 

 and the wrapping paper surrounding the fruits was always moist. 

 This was not generally true with lots 3 and 4. The condition of 

 the fruit itself, as indicated by its wilting, should serve as a good 

 indication of the relative humidity of the atmosphere surrounding 

 the various lots. This will appear later. 



Behavior of fruit 



In the beginning of the. experiment all the pears were very 

 similar in degree of ripeness, all being yellowish green and about 

 one-fourth ripe, as indicated by color. Degree of ripeness may 

 be described from two standpoints, namely, appearance, indicated 

 largely by color, and condition, indicated by texture, juiciness, 

 and flavor. It was possible to describe the former as a certain 

 fraction ripe, and the fractions in table IV refer to ripeness in 

 appearance only, unless otherwise noted. Additional statements 

 cover condition. The pears in each lot were examined at approxi- 

 mately 4-day intervals, and careful notes made as to appearance 

 and condition. The somewhat abridged notes in table IV indicate 

 the condition of the fruit as the experiment progressed. 



The experiment was continued beyond September 23, but on 

 the 25th an accident in the regulation caused the temperatures 

 to climb abnormally high in the box where nos. 1-4 were located. 

 The result was that the pears in lots 3 and 4 were cooked brown, 

 so that further observations were impossible. It was interesting 

 to note, however, that lot 3 was cooked much more severely than 

 lot 4. The temperature of lot 3 as compared with lot 4 was 

 approximately io° lower, while the relative humidity was about 

 30 per cent higher. Just before this, one fruit each from lots 3 

 and 4 were placed where lot 7 had been at room temperature and 

 high humidity, to discover whether these fruits would ripen 

 normally after removal from the high temperature. These fruits 

 were observed and sampled on September 28. No. 3, although 

 noticeably wilted on September 23, had by the 28th become 

 apparently more plump, appearing almost normal. The fruit was 

 full soft ripe; flesh rather tough ; and flavor more acid than normal, 

 with a faint trace of bitterness, although this may have been due 



