May, 1922] BERGMAN — ^ WATER- RAKING OF CRANBERRIES 25I 
The averages of percentages in the table show that the berries stored wet rotted more 
than those stored dry in both series of tests. The wet berries in the second series were 
more nearly dry when picked than were those of the first series, this apparently accounting 
for the smaller difference in the average amounts of rot that developed in the two lots 
of Howes fruit. The wet berries left on the bog were perhaps dried a good deal, as com- 
pared with those housed at once, by the high temperatures and free circulation of the 
open air, this perhaps explaining their better keeping. 
The necessity of ventilation during storage is indicated by a comparison 
of the keeping quality of water-raked berries stored in barrels and in boxes 
at MinneapoHs. The following figures are taken from table 4. Two barrels 
of late-picked Searles Jumbo examined December 9 showed 31. i and 37.4 
percent of spoilage respectively. The average of the two barrels is 34.25 
percent. On the same day and on the day following the examination of 
four lots of the same variety, late-picked, stored in boxes, showed an average 
spoilage of 22.5 percent. These lots were all of the same variety, were all 
late-picked, were held in water for the same length of time, and were stored 
under similar conditions except as to the kind of container in which they 
were packed. Therefore the dilTerence in keeping quality must be attributed 
to the tightness of the barrels, which excluded oxygen sufficiently to cause 
smothering of the berries. A careful separation of smothered and fungus- 
rotted berries would probably have confirmed this view. Lack of time and 
facilities, however, prevented this from being done. 
Whether or not there is a greater tendency of water-raked than of dry- 
raked berries to become smothered in barrels during storage cannot be 
stated at this time. It is possible, however, that the holding of water on 
the berries at picking time, especially if the water is held for a considerable 
period, interferes permanently with the normal respiration of the berries. 
This may have the effect of "weakening" the berries, or of producing a 
tendency to collapse earlier than would otherwise happen when subjected 
to somewhat unfavorable storage conditions. It has been demonstrated 
by Hill (3, p. 395) that peaches from which oxygen has been excluded for 
a few days were unable to regain their normal rate of respiration. He 
states that "this would indicate a permanent injury to the protoplasm or 
to some of the enzymes due to insufficient oxygen." 
Precautions to be Observed in Water-raking 
In view of the preceding discussion it may be said that water-raking of 
cranberries, without serious injury to their keeping quality, is possible 
under favorable conditions. Since most of the conditions are not con- 
trollable, the possibilities of injury by water-raking are greater than in 
dry-raking. There is no apparent reason, however, why injuries greater 
than those brought on by repeated or prolonged flooding for frost injury 
of bogs that are dry- raked, should be incurred if certain precautions are 
observed. 
The first precaution in water-raking is to avoid holding water on the 
