bn COLORING SATSUMA ORANGES IN ALABAMA, T 
At the close of the test (November 6) the stems were loose. On the 
fifth day, while the stems had not become loose, they were somewhat 
-blackened-and shriveled. The change in the solids-acid ratio during 
coloring is shown in Table 6. The check sample of 24 fruits stored in 
a separate building did not change in color. 
In the earlier experiments it was found that the oranges were 
_ well colored in about five days, but most of the stems were loosened 
= : : e 
and there was considerable shrinkage, ranging from 5 to 6 per 
cent of the original weight of the fruit. For the next experiments 
the false ceilings previously mentioned were removed in order that 
the room might be filled. It was expected that with the larger 
quantity of fruit a higher humidity could be maintained. 
~ On October 29, 125 boxes of Satsuma oranges were put in a 
coloring room and the stove operated continuously. This fruit 
showed slightly more yellow color at the beginning of the test than 
that of the former lots, as most of the fruit was slightly colored 
around the calyx. On the fourth day the fruit was about 50 per 
-eent colored. Owing to the colder weather the minimum night tem- 
perature had been about 72° F. An oil heater was then installed 
for use at mght, in order to maintain the temperature at about 
80° F. at all times. The humidity throughout this experiment was 
about 70 per cent. This experiment was closed on November 6, 
when the desired color had fully developed. About 50 per cent of 
_ the stems were loose, and practically all the rest showed the blacken- 
ing of the calyx and stem which was noted in the earlier experi- 
ments. The shrinkage was nearly 5 per cent of the original weight. 
The results of the analyses of these fruits are shown in Table 7. 
It should be mentioned here that in all the experiments, in order to 
insure a representative sample for analysis, two to six fruits were 
selected at random from each box and kept in a separate container. 
From these the sample of 12 fruits was drawn for analysis. 
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TABLE 7.— Change in solids-acid ratio in coloring a lot of 125 boxes of Satsuma 
oranges. 
ba ports 
e 
oe ; pa Date, : Soluble | Solids- 
Time of observation. 1919. Acid. solids. |acid ratio. 
; i Per cent. | Per cent. 
Ee SS a ee ae ee ee, Ae Oct. 29 0. 73 8. 67 1S 
a Silt eb Se ke ae ee oe ee ee ee Nov. 4 oral 9. 47 1323 
ae oe eee ee ae a en Nov. 6 - 70 9. 47 13.5 
Eran Tree re Ee alas Go *s2! . 69 8. 50 12.3 
_ On November 6 another lot of 150 boxes of oranges from the same 
grove as those used in the former experiment was put in a coloring 
room. In order to keep the humidity of the room as high as possible 
it was sprayed twice a day with water by means of a knapsack 
sprayer. By this method a humidity of about 85 per cent was ob- 
tained. This fruit did not color up as fast as that of the earlier 
experiments, for two reasons. The stove did not give off as strong 
fumes as before, and this lot of fruit was coarse and rough, being 
the last picked from the grove. At the time of picking the natural 
color was practically as far advanced as that of fruit picked earlier, 
but, as stated, the texture was coarse. The smoother skinned oranges 
