Re: The Doucet Theory on Pumpkin's with SplitPersonalities

Rocky,

Thanks for your comment.  I believe you may be on to
something there that did not occur to me.  Oxygen or
other gases could be out gassed from the pumpkin flesh
itself and fill the cavity.  Also a certain amount of
water vapor would be present to help fill the cavity.
We can call this the Rockwell Theory of Pumpkin Out
Gassing if you like.  

I still believe air permeates through the shell at a
slow rate but there are likely other sources for the
gas in the cavity.

Atually, where the gas in the pumpkin cavity comes
from does not really matter to my theory.  What is
relevant is that the pumpkin acts like a sealed
container and any air permeating or gas generation is
a slow process equivalent to a very slow leak.  Then
anything that can affect the pressure of the gas in
the pumpkin in a short period of time such as
temperature changes, or rapid growth will cause a
pressure differential across the shell walls.  If the
pressure differential becomes large enough, it will
put enormous stresses on the shell walls.

I want to thank everyone who contributed to this
discussion.  I plan to revise my theory to incorporate
some of the ideas presented.  I'm renaming my theory
the Doucet Effect and will post a revised version of
it soon.

diana

--- Lyle Rockwell <rocky.r@cyber-quest.com> wrote:
> Has anyone given thought to the fact water is 2
> parts hydrogen and one
> part oxygen, and somehow the oxygen is emitted in a
> gaseous state that
> is near air quality? No air needs to be permeated
> through the walls, it
> is simply a byproduct of the growing process, and
> since it cannot escape
> the exterior walls, it is trapped inside. The reason
> it does not rot the
> pumpkin as one pumpkinologist has explained, is that
> , in its purest
> form, and unable to get access to any bacteria (the
> walls are it's
> insulation from bacteria and infection, much like
> human skin is..), this
> oxygen byproduct is very pure, free from any of the
> nasties that can do
> the damamge so listed in previous postings. 
> 	Dont get me worng, while the skin keeps out the
> nasties, it also can
> get an exterior infection, as most people who have
> grown these things
> fora while know very well, and that is why we use a
> 10 to one bleach to
> water solution on the skin, it helps to maintain a
> healthy , bacteria
> and fungus free pumpkin.
> 
> Rocky Rockwell - taking my swing at this fast
> ball....


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