Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 October 1890 — THE ORCHARD. [ARTICLE]

THE ORCHARD.

Why Fruit Cracks. A correspondent of the Thnes-Democrat offers the following explanation of the cause of tho cracking of fruit, which occasions so much loss to fruit growers: Almost every one has noticed that juicy fruits, such as plums, peaches, grapes, tomatoes, etc., will be cracked by rain. The phenomenon has been of painfully frequent occurrence the past season, and the losses to some growers have, on this account, been heavy. The cracking has been explained in various ways; but we think it Is properly attributed by Bosslngault to osmose. If a bladder filled with syrup bo immersed in a vessel of water will after a while become sweet; the syrup passes through the membrane of the bladder into the water, and correspondingly the water passes into the interior of the bladder. But tills cnterchaugo is not an equal one; the lighter liquid—the water —passes in many times more rapidly than tho heavier liquid—the syrup—passes out. Tho consequence will bo that the bladder will be distended to its utmost, and at length burst. This is a general law, that where two liquids of unequal densities are separated by a membrane, whether animal or vegetable, they will enterchange, the weaker liquid passing more, rapidly than tho denser one, and this will be kept up until the liquid upon both sides of the membrane is of the same density. A ripe tomato or plum may bo considered in the condition of tho bladder of syrup. Tho rich juices of the fruit correspond to the syrup, and the thin membrane which forms the skin of the fruit represents the bladder. When the ripe fruit is kept constantly wet by a rain osmose takes place, and the water passing through into the fruit distends the 'skin, which not being very strong Is soon ruptured. If the fruit were to be surrounded by a liquid denser than its juice, It would, instead of expanding and breaking up, shrink, and the skin become shrivelled. Whet; strawberries or blackberries arc sprinkled with sugar a syrup is soon formed by some of the juice of the fruit, and, this being considerably denser than the juice of the berries, they are soon flabby and shrivelled.