HORTICULTURE. 



443 



Tea, C. .\. GuiGON {Le the. Paris: Augmtln Challumel, 1901, pp. 251, dgms.2). — A 

 treatise on the history, culture, and preparation of tea; countries producing it; 

 statistics and commerce of tea; classification of teas; and tea mixtures. 



Investigations on the quantity of caffein in several species of coffee trees, 

 G. Bertkaxi) (A(jr. Prat. Payx Vhaads, Q {1902), X<>. S, pj>. 211-213).— A table is 

 given showing the place of origin and the water, ash, nitrogen, and caffein conteiit of 

 12 samples of Cofea (irabicci; 3 of ('. libericu; 2 of C. stenoplujUa; and one each of C. 

 canephora, C. laurina, C. congensis, C. mauritiana, <'. linmboltkirM; and a variety called 

 Cazengo. 



Cacao, culture and preparation, P. Preuss {Le cacao, sa culture elsa prcpnratlun. 

 Parix: AugHstin Challamel, 1902, pp. 127, jigs. 69). — This book is the outcome of a 

 journey in tropical and Central America, and deals particularly with the methods of 

 cacao culture in Trinidad, Guatemala, Venezuela, and tropical and Central America. 

 Buildings used for the drying of cacao are also described and analyses given of the 

 seed of Theohroma bicolor. 



Contributions to our knovrledge of the composition of Nor-wegian small 

 fruits, A. YsTGAAED {Tidsskr. Xorske Landbr., 9 {1902), No. S, pp. 125-145) .—A dis- 

 cussion is given on the importance of the fruit industry in Norway, the chemical 

 composition of fruits, and the variations to which the differeut components are sub- 

 ject, according to time of sampling, latitude of locality where the fruits were grown, 

 etc. 



The author does not consider the hypothesis of Schiibeler correct, that fruits grown 

 in northern latitudes contain a smaller percentage of sugar than the same kinds grown 

 farther south, that "light produces aroma (flavor), and heat, sugar." So far as the 

 analyses at hand furnish eviilence on this jwint, the data for Norwegian wild or culti- 

 vated small fruits do not sliow a lower sugar content than for the same kinds of fn its 

 grown in the Rhine Valley, for example. Neither does the acidity of fruits grown in the 

 two countries vary regularly, Norway-grown fruits containing sometimes more, some- 

 times less, acid than those grown in Germany. Direct trials showed that the content 

 of acid has a preponderating influence over that of sugar on the taste and flavor of 

 fruits to such an extent that only 0.1 per cent of acid more than counterbalances 1 

 per cent of cane sugar. 



The following compilation gives the average percentage composition of the dif- 

 ferent kinds of fruits anal3'zed by the author, with the range of variation. Tlie 

 acidity of the juice was determined both before and after decoloration with animal 

 charcoal. 



Analyses of Norwegian siwdl fruits. 



"Two samples. ''One sample, c Four samples. >/" Only a few hundredths of 1 per cent." ''0.02 

 per cent phosphoric acid. /Three samples, uln one sample, 1.04 per cent pentosans. /i0.04 per 

 cent phosphoric acid. 



