EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE. 7 



from the local market, and no reliable data as to place of origin could 

 be obtained. The huckleberries were identified by F. V. Coville, of 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry. 



The peaches from Georgia had been shipped in refrigerator cars 

 and were cold when received. The data for the Carman variety 

 were obtained first on a sample of hard-green fruit. Weighed lots 

 of the same sample of peaches were allowed to ripen at room tem- 

 perature and were then examined to determine whether there were 

 differences in the rate of respiration between the green and the 

 ripened fruit. The locally grown peaches, Champion, Connett, and 

 Elberta, were picked when hard-ripe and well colored. 



The lemons were divided into two lots, the fruit which was still 

 partly green and that which was fully yellowed, and examined 

 separately. Both the oranges and lemons were freshly picked fruit 

 sent by express from California. 



The pineapples and Japanese persimmons were well colored but 

 firm; the latter did not soften while under observation. The mangos 

 were highly colored and eating-ripe. 



The apples were all recently picked, the two summer varieties, 

 Jefferis and Summer Pearmain, having been gathered on the day 

 previous. The three lots of winter apples from California were well 

 colored, freshly picked fruit sent by express. 



The four varieties of Vinifera grapes were purchased on the local 

 market, those from California probably having been shipped in 

 refrigerator cars. 



Two attempts were made to determine the effect of temperature 

 on the rate of evolution of carbon dioxid from bananas but without 

 success on account of the very rapid* acceleration in the rate of 

 evolution of carbon dioxid with ripening. These trials showed that 

 the rate of physiological activity increased greatly even overnight. 

 The effect of temperature on the respiration of bananas will be the 

 subject of further study. 



DESCRIPTION OF APPARATUS AND METHODS. 



ABSORPTION APPARATUS. 



The apparatus used in the measurement of respiration intensity 

 at each temperature 4s shown in fig. 1. The air entering the desic- 

 cator was first drawn through a long tube filled with soda lime to 

 free it from carbon dioxid; it was next passed through a wash bottle 

 containing baryta water and then through a drying tower containing 

 calcium chlorid. The wash bottle was useful in testing the apparatus 

 for tightness and for insuring that the air was properly purified, 

 while the drying tower was used in the measurements at room, 

 ice-box, and cold-storage temperatures, as it was feared that the 



