968 
Journal of Agricultural Research 
Vol. XXVIII, No. 9 
after treatment with borax solution of 5 per cent and of 10 per cent strength. 
Preliminary results indicate that the amounts present are even much smaller 
than those indicated and that the borax does not penetrate to the edible portion 
of the fruit. 
No injury to the fruit through the use of borax solution has been observed. 
Most of the tests were made with fruit obtained on the market some time after 
picking, but a number of tests on grapefruit and on oranges were made with 
freshly picked fruit. The effect on very turgid fruit has not been fully tested. 
SUMMARY 
Preliminary tests have shown that commercial borax (sodium borate) solution 
in strength of 5 per cent or 10 per cent applied to the surface of oranges or lemons 
and allowed to dry greatly reduces blue-mold rot under experimental conditions 
that are unusually favorable for rot development. 
Oranges and grapefruit handled in a commercial way, when treated with the 
borax solution, showed a marked reduction of both Phomopsis and Diplodia 
types of stem-end rot, as well as of blue-mold rot. 
The borax treatment gives promise of being commercially valuable, in con¬ 
junction with careful handling of the fruit, in reducing losses from blue-mold 
rot. 
