INTERNAL DECLINE OF LEMONS II. GROWTH RATE, WATER CONTENT, AND ACIDITY OF LEMONS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF MATURITY

Abstract

This work was undertaken to determine the possible bearing on the etiology of internal decline of lemons 2 of (a) the rate at which lemons increase in size as influenced by climatic and seasonal changes and by the time of year at which the fruit is set, and (b) the increase in acidity and water content of the fruits at different stages in their development. Statements have been made by different writers concerning the acidity and water content of mature lemons but not of lemons at different stages of maturity. Wehmer (8) gives the water content of mature lemons as 82.64 percent, a figure which is too low, at least for California lemons, as is indicated later in this discussion. Clark and Lubs (2) give a pH value of 2.2 for the true acidity of juice from mature lemons. The results obtained in this work agree very well with that figure.