360 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Girdled. 



Not Girdled. 



Oct. 5 



1.075 



12° 



79.08 



20.9: 



17.80 



85.37 



42.00 



Girdled. 



Oct. 5 



1.0S5 



12 c 



17.50 



54.00 



It will be noticed that the grapes upon the girdled vines dif- 

 fered widely from those from the ungirdled ones during the 

 earlier examinations, but that later in the season both reached 

 the same state of maturity.* The amount of grape-sugar in 

 the juice of the grapes from the girdled vines was several 

 per cent less in October than in September ; while there was 

 a slight increase of density in the latter. Some of the grape- 

 sugar must have undergone transformation between Sept. 26, 

 'and Oct. 5. The grape belongs to a class of fruit whose 

 increase in sweetness, after its full development, is due to 

 a loss of moisture, evidently by evaporation. The loss of 

 moisture during this time very nearly corresponds to the 

 increase of sugar in the solid matter of the grape. Grapes 

 allowed to remain longer upon the vines soon showed a 

 rapid change, free acid increasing in consequence of the for- 

 mation of acetic acid by fermentation. This change is not 

 confined to the grape : all our fruits are subject to the same 

 change ; and to retard this transformation is the aim of all 

 successful methods of preserving fruits. 



To obtain more definite and practical results, a series of 

 experiments was planned and carried out the past season. 

 The following questions were proposed as the basis from 

 which to work : — 



I. When is the best time to perform the operation ? 



