964 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVIII, No. 9 
In certain other tests the fruit was not only punctured, but was severely 
bruised by dropping several times from a table to the floor, and several slices 
resembling very severe clipper cuts were cut from the outside of the peel. In 
such cases soaking one minute in 5 per cent borax solution had a very satisfactory 
protective effect, but the mere brushing on of the solution was less effective. 
A preliminary test to determine the value of the borax treatment under com¬ 
mercial conditions was made in Florida with oranges. In one series of tests 
Fig. 3.—Development of Phomopsis stem-end rot, Diplodia stem-end rot, and blue mold rot (Penicillium) 
in oranges treated with 5 per cent borax solution and untreated during 36 days. The numbers at the 
left indicate the cumulative percentages of rot obtained as follows: For each period of three days the per* 
centage of Phomopsis or of Diplodia or of blue mold rot is figured on the basis of the number of sound 
fruits in the test at the beginning of the three-day period. These percentage figures are added successively 
to give the cumulative numbers shown. Such numbers represent the proportion of rot that would 
develop if the test lot were restored to 100 fruits of like kind after removal of the rotten fruits at the begin* 
ning of each three-day period 
samples of 100 fruit were taken from the packing houses; each sample was 
divided into two lots, one lot was dipped momentarily through 5 per cent borax 
solution and the control lot through water; the fruit was allowed to dry, and was 
held for several weeks at approximately 74° F. in a rather moist atmosphere. 
These conditions of temperature and moisture are more favorable for rot than 
usual commercial conditions, but were considered desirable in order to induce 
enough rot for a definite showing. In Figure 3 the averages are given for 11 
sample lots of 50 oranges each, representative of Florida oranges in late April* 
