re 
Leerey cx0n < 
COLORING SATSUMA ORANGES IN ALABAMA, 9 
TABLE 9.—Change in the solids-acid ratio in two lots of Satsuma oranges dur- 
ing coloring. 
Solids- 
Lot and time of observation. Date, Acid. | Soluble | “acia 
: 1919. solids. aaa 
Lot A: Per cent. | Per cent. | 
0 eS a Se ee See ee ee {_.| Nov. 18 0.73 8. 88 | 12.2 
22 IPT FLL ee ol eee een Nov. 22 | . 67 9. 22 | 13.8 
DED. 15 Se 5 Og SRS Bee) ae rss See ee eS De Gong S. . 67 9. 22 13.8 
Lot B: 
“EV SPLIP 2 Ue] Ce a eget es ‘a Nov. 18 | - 66 8. 88 | 13.4 
REUNITE eye ee ee a, ck ee glow ose St eeee ces Nov. 22 . 66 9. 22 14.0 
OP LBEDE 5 2222 LSS a ee ee ee ene rare een es dos 2 - 59 9. 22 15.6 
EXPERIMENTS IN 1920. 
During the season of 1920 it was determined to test the use of 
gasoline-engine exhaust, since engines were used for power in all 
the packing houses, and the exhaust gas would be readily available 
for this purpose. There was some danger from fire where stoves 
were used in the same building with the fruit. The first lot was 
started on October 20. These oranges showed from 5 to 10 per cent 
yellow color. The engine was run from noon until 11.30 p. m. 
October 20 and for 12 hours each of the following three days, the 
temperature averaging between 75° and 80° F., while the humidity 
was maintained at about 85 per cent by means of a humidifier,? 
which was operated by the engine that furnished the exhaust. 
Briefly explained, this humidifier consisted of parallel pieces of 
terry cloth or Turkish toweling about 24 by 24 inches suspended 
from raised slots in a pan of water 24 by 18 inches. These wet 
cloths, or wicks, were held tightly at the bottom in another pan which 
caught the drip from the cloths. The sides were inclosed, while the 
ends were open. Air from a blower was forced through this ar- 
rangement and took up water from the wet cloths. The humidifier 
and blower were set inside the room, being operated by a belt 
through the wall from the engine just outside. At the beginning 
of the experiment the humidity of the room was 62 per cent. An 
hour’s operation of the humidifier raised it to 80 per cent. The 
outside humidity averaged during the day between 60 and 70 per 
cent and at night about 83 per cent. At the end of four days the 
desired color was fully developed, while the stems were green and 
tight and the flavor excellent. The solids-acid tests before and at 
the close of the experiment are shown in Table 10. 
TasieE 10.—Change in the solids-acid ratio in the first lot of fruit colored by 
the engine exhaust. 
Date, Soluble | Solids- 
Time of observation. 1920. Acid. solids.’ lacid ratit: 
Per cent. | Per cent. 
Gea (elas os Bee Be ee ee eee ee a ne Oct. 20 1. 40 9.75 6.9 
PS LSE ee SSS ee Se ere ae ee es oe Oct. 23 1.13 10. 01 &9 
5Shamel, A. D. A humidifier for lemon curing rooms, U. 8S. Dept. Agr. Bul. 494, 
11 p., 7 figs. 1917. 
51605°—23——2 
