42 



IOWA. 



Iowa Agricultural Experiment Station. 



Department of loiva State College of Aijrieullure and Mechauic Arts. 

 Locatiou, Ames. Director, R. P. Speer. 



BULLETIN NO. 4, FEBRUARY, 1889. 



Wild plums, E. P. Speer (pp. 95-98). — This is au account of 

 practical tests with several varieties of Iowa plums to determiue their 

 usefulness for canning. " Some of the wild kinds are not inferior to the 

 best tame plums for canning, and but little skill would be necessary to 

 improve them in size and in other respects by cross-fertilizing the blos- 

 soms of the best kinds with pollen from the largest of the tame varie- 

 ties." 



A number of varieties are discussed, the quality of the fruit, certainty 

 and uncertainty of bearing, and fitness to endure Iowa climate are com- 

 pared, and explanations and suggestions of interest to fruit-growers are 

 made. The De Soto is especially recommended, " until better varieties 

 shall be produced by cross-fertilizing it with pollen from the Black 

 Hawk plum or Maquoketa." 



A CUEMICAL STUDY OF APPLE TWIGS, G. E. PATRICK, M. Sv^. (pp. 



99-103). — This investigation was made at the suggestion of the director 

 with the object of learning " whether there exist in mid- winter any 

 differences in composition between the new growth of those varieties 

 of apple which are hardy and those which are non hardy in the cli- 

 mate of central and northern Iowa." The time for the investigation 

 was limited, and the chemical analyses of the twigs were less detailed 

 and complete than they would otherwise have been. The percentage 

 of moisture, extractives, crude protein and ash and the specific grav- 

 ities were determined. 



Four varieties of twigs were studied, namely. Duchess of Oldenburg, Borovinca, 

 Ben Davis, and Boiken — tlie two first named being regarded as hardy and the two 

 latter being regarded as non-hardy varieties. The twigs were taken from the trees 

 and the work done during January just passed. 



The results of this short study show that of the samples examined — for no conclu- 

 sions reaching beyond these can be deduced from so scant data — 



(1) The tender varieties contained somewhat more of extractable matters than 

 did the hardy. 



(2) The tender varieties contained a smaller total of sugars, dextrin, and other 

 water-soluble substances convertible into glucose by dilute acids. 



(3) The tender varieties contained more free acids than did the hardy. 



(4) The tender varieties contained more soluble pectins and less dextrin than did 

 the hardy. 



(5) Of extractive matters undetermined the tender varieties contained the most. 



(6) Protein showed wide variations in the different samples, but not on the lines 

 of tender and hardy. Ash was nearly the same in all. 



Conclusion. — The results as a whole certainly do not negative the idea that chemi- 

 cal analysis may yet aid in distinguishing between hardy and tender varieties, and 



