The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1914-06-17
IS WORKING OUT
STORAGE PROBLEMS
DIR. w. A. BRANNON TELLS BOISE
PEOPLE HOW HE SPENDS REC
REATION HOURS.
Goes to the Laboratories and DeIyes
Into the Things That Interests
Him.

BOISE, June 17.-Dr. M. A. Bran
non, president Of the University o.
Idaho, spends his playtime in the lab
oratory. That is to say, when he
finds that he is getting logy from toe
continued application TO his duties
as chief administrator of the college
he betakes himself to the laboratories
and takes up for few hours the work
in which he has become interested in
other states where he has been To-
Gated and which he has found more
applicable here in Idaho than in any
|other place.
His particular study at present is
the storage of fruit and vegetables
from the scientific standpoint, mat
ter that is becoming of more and more
interest to the state as the number
of producers selling associations
grows and as the fruit industry de-
velOps.
Big Markets Inaccessible.
1T was not long in coming to my
attention." said DR.. Brannon in dis
cussing his hobby, that in these west
ern states the productivity of fruit
and vegetables was far ahead of the
consumption. In other words, they
did not have sufficient market for
their product at home and it was
oru RI oh fl, 1iCt
or to store for some time in order to
dispose of the surplus.
This led me to become interested in
the problem of storage.
THE fruit and vegetables when
stored are subject to various chemi
cal and physical changes and it is
.hese things, their causes and results
which must be studied in order to
AXE up the problem from the correct
angle. These chemical changes take
place with the acids of the fruit or
vegetable and the action fosters |
,hanges in the substances-a, chemi-
al disturbance. This we are used to
erm maturaL1On.
Practical Experience Lacking.
81 have had no practical experience
n the matter and what L have
earned about storage has been the
esult of laboratory experimentation
together. I have studied the sub
ect closely from this point of view,
owever, and 1t seems that the labor
tory study ought to throw some light
pom some of the difficulties of tn
rover who is compelled to store his
roduct for time. have made ex-
'eriments with potatoes, apples,
ears, prunes, lemons, bananas and
ven cranberries, though. of course,
/ this state my work will largely be
18th potatoes, apples and prunes,
nough shall make some expert
tents with grapes and cherries.
What must be done with the
,ored product is to direct its prog
,ss. The maturation of the fruit or
sgetable must be governed, in most
lses retarded, that it may be at just
lie proper stage when it is needed
r the market. The method will be
en to keep the temperature at a
,rtain registration, to give the pro-
let definite amount of oxygen and
see that a definite amount of hu-
idity obtains in the air.
Work to Aid Growers.
with the acid changes in the fruit
vegetable there comes change in
| the elements of the fruit. The
arch changes to sugar and the cell
alls deteriorate-rot. 1t has been
termined that a temperature near
ro hastens these chemical changes
d brings about general disorgani-
ton and spelling Of the vegetable
alter. So, it is to find the things
at favor these conditions and the
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