EFFECT OF PICKING. 31 



RESULTS OBTAINED. 



The data of the three experiments are shown in the accompanying 

 table (p. 32). 



Experiment 1 on Mountain Rose peaches was started in the after- 

 noon of August 10 and finished during the forenoon of the follow- 

 ing day, an interval of 18§ hours. Five peaches weighing 325 grams 

 attached to the tree gave off 0.572 gram of carbon dioxid at the rate 

 of 94 mg per kilogram per hour. Five peaches weighing 297 grams 

 detached from the tree gave off 0.497 gram of carbon dioxid during 

 the same period at the rate of 89.5 mg per kilogram per hour. As 

 before mentioned, the jar containing the fruit attached to the tree 

 cracked during the experiment, and slight contamination due to 

 carbon dioxid from the outside air probably occurred, accounting for 

 the higher values obtained. The results of the experiment are, 

 therefore, somewhat inexact, but indicate that there is no marked 

 acceleration in evolution of carbon dioxid due to picking. 



The results of experiment 2 showed that five Mountain Rose 

 peaches attached to the tree and weighing 312 grams gave off 0.462 

 gram of carbon dioxid during 18 hours, the rate being 82.2 mg per 

 kilogram per hour, and that five picked Mountain Rose peaches 

 weighing 347 grams gave off 0.466 gram of carbon dioxid during the 

 same interval at the rate of 74.7 mg per kilogram per hour. At 

 the conclusion of the experiment a very slight leak was found in the 

 apparatus connected with the fruit attached to the tree. This pos- 

 sibly accounts for the higher results obtained. Again, as in experi- 

 ment 1, the results indicated that there is little or no acceleration in 

 carbon dioxid due to picking. 



Experiments 1 and 2 were started near the end of the afternoon of 

 one day and finished during the forenoon of the next, because it was 

 desired to avoid possible disturbances due to temperature differences 

 which might occur even though the jars were shaded, as it was pos- 

 sible that reflected light and heat might have influenced the tempera- 

 tures unequally. During experiment 3, however, a period of cool, 

 cloudy weather made it possible to continue the experiment during 

 three days. There was no sunshine during the first two days, but 

 during the late forenoon of the third day the sun shone for several 

 hours. 



In experiment 3 carbon dioxid was formed by six hard-ripe 

 Champion peaches attached to the tree, at the rate of 51.7, 55.5, and 

 79 mg per kilogram per hour, during the three days, respectively. 

 Picked fruit gave off carbon dioxid at the rate of 54.4, 56.9, and 82 

 mg per kilogram per hour during the same intervals. Again, as in 



