COMPOSITION AND MATURITY OF CANTALOUPES. i fe: 
TABLE 7.—Relation of starch content of seeds to eating quality (Porterville and 
Turlock, 1920). 






. Refrac- : Refrac- 
Eating : ogee Starch Eating a Starch 
OS quality.! ae SUCTOSe. | in seeds. DEES: quality.! se SUCTOSE. | in seeds. 
Not stored: Per cent.| Per cent. || Not stored— Per cent.| Per cent. 
Be Stee 59. 7 5. 50 0.35 contd. 
AVSPAS Qe oe 50. 5 PTA .55 BI01© Hsp Pe” Ree CEA Gl Pe eee 1. 50 
7 Ve ra 1a Fe 45,8 2.12 . 60 ASHSAL =|" Stee eaeae. 58: She eet . 20 
AN Ga ASr oe Gee oer se 66. 5 7. 59 00 AS BED He Qee ee AQ! Oh Weak hie . 65 
AA GBR el Ge suet 64.5 7. 28 rele 45081 Geb i eee 7 OO al [B Ctipate dy gna 1.80 
416 C_ Garters 61. 1 5. 93 .40 || Stored: : 
ATG es | Qs st = 55. 2 4. 66 .95 AGRA ney Giese ee 68: Oy ae eee Trace. 
ATGER |e. ee 44.4 1. 94 1.15 406; BE2EG ss 5632: [Ee GES . 20 
ADG Bees NSE oo he 65. 2 7. 20 . 25 AO6C DG P2_ 3-23: Eee MV olie Bs SARE 20 
2 Od OMY eye ee Bow 53. 0 3. 90 60 406 WH?) Pacs- ss" ANS: |seeiee ee . 40 
AIGUAS Ee Py 57 ae 50. 5 2855 wif 415A BCG] = 6257: Bees Trace. 
APD) 8 Se Be oss 45. 2 1. 98 1. 20 ATG) 2h) Dee ae 45304 ete Nee ap 
A O/T Dyn] Sea ae 62:25) |/Res e . 30 ALVA BIDE S22-e2e Gls |e ee = . 20 
OT OVE XS ae 52530 ibe fe ee . 40 ANTEC HS) Qe tes. 565.9), )2 28585 = 45 
CF 5 LN a ee AB IQ alte tpt 1. 20 417 Ri GEE| Pes se AQ 42) ee eae 30 
430 ABEASE es GHG Es 2 Sau . 20 452 (Be Gs 8 2o0 | Tees ee 10 
ASOSE) Seats Gee’ 7. ee | osu | eee . 60 450228 Pip ieee | coe EL rcs Trace 

1G, good; S, satisfactory; Q, questionable; P, poor. 
SPECIFIC GRAVITY AND TOTAL SUGAR CONTENT. 
The specific gravity of the whole melon, the specific gravity of the 
flesh of the melon, and the percentage of total sugar in the juice were 
also measured. With one exception, the values in all three cases 
increased with maturity. No correlation between the specific gravity 
of the seeds and maturity was noted. 
The Brawley melons in 1920 showed an increase in specific gravity 
of flesh from 0.970 to 1.006, and the Porterville, 1920, one of from 
0.944 to 0.991. | 
The juice of immature melons contained about 7 per cent of total 
sugar; that of full-slip melons, about 9 per cent. It did not seem 
desirable to use these constituents as a measure of maturity. The 
changes involved are not large, and the methods of measuring them 
are not convenient. 
RELATION OF EATING QUALITY TO COMPOSITION. 
It has been shown that the maturity of melons may be judged by 
the specific gravity of the juice, by its refractive index, by the per- 
centage of sucrose it contains, and by the starch content of the seeds. 
It is, however, necessary to know in each case the approximate limit 
of value below which melons might be regarded as immature for 
commercial marketing. For this purpose, melons were cut and 
examined individually; or, if groups were made, they were based not 
on the slip of the melons but on the eating quality. Notes on the 
color, odor, and flavor of the flesh were made, or a general statement 
as to marketability was recorded. Judgment in such matters is sub- 
ject to error, but in most cases a decision was reached by the agree- 
ment of two or more workers. The sample was then analyzed. The 
relation of the chemical characteristics of the juice to the eating 
quality, as judged in this manner, is shown in Table 8. 
