6 BULLETIN 1159, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. al 
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For the next experiments the stoves were adjusted so as to give — 
off the pungent fumes characteristic of incomplete combustion. — 
Care was taken that smoke was not given off at the same time. In 
order to maintain the humidity as high as possible the ground be- 
neath the floors was kept constantly wet by throwing in several 
buckets of water daily. A lot of 30 field boxes of Satsuma oranges 
was put in a coloring room on October 20. To maintain a high © 
humidity a stove was operated continuously with a pan of water 
over the burner. Some of this fruit showed a little yellow color — 
about the calyx when placed in the coloring room, but most of it 
was entirely green. It was found that during the day when the out- 
side temperature was high the additional heat from the stove kept 
the temperature within the room around 85° to 95° F. with a 
humidity of about 60 per cent, while the night temperature was 
from 75° to 80° with a humidity of about 70 per cent. In five days 
a satisfactory color had developed, which subsequently changed 
very little. A blackening and shriveling of the calyx and the stem 
were noted. The fruit should have been removed at this time, for at — 
the close of the experiment, October 29, the stems, or buttons, were — 
all so loose that they readily rubbed off, and in addition the fruit 
was slightly off flavor. In Table 5 are shown the results of analyses 
of samples from this lot at the start, October 20, also on October 24 
and October 29. In addition, the analysis is given of a check sample 
of 24 fruits that were held in a separate building. This check sample 
showed no change in color at the close of the experiment, although 
its solids-acids ratio had increased. 
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TABLE 5.—Change in the solids-acid ratio of Satsuma oranges in coloring when 
the stove was operated continuously. 
Time of observation. Date, Acid. Soluble | Solids- 
solids. acid ratio. 
Per cent. | Per cent. 
Stan. fees. soece wchs sc Sa eae Meee ok Cliche eae ets Oct. 20 0. 90 8. 74 9.7 
inary. S25 22 oe See eee aoe ot Sete ees ore See eats am Oct. 24 87 9. 82 11.2 
ClOS Cr a rte oe ce sais gee (ots ee ah ame wen Gos e Oct. 29 78 9.61 12.3 
Chee ig oS. SF Us 5 oo cee ee eee sacle aan a eee on! Seiten eee ae ter doe 78 8. 60 11.0 
In the next experiment, on October 29, 30 boxes of fruit similar 
to that used in the preceding test were put in a coloring room with 
the stove operated only at night. In this way the fruit received less 
gas. The humidity was maintained at an average of about 70 per 
cent. As in the preceding experiment, the desired color was practi- 
cally fully developed on the fifth day, with little subsequent change. 
TABLE 6.—Change in the solids-acid ratio of Satsuma oranges in coloring when 
the stove was operated only during the daytime. 
Acia, | Soluble | Solids- 
Time of observation. solids. |acid ratio. 
