STRAWBERRIES AND THEIR NUTRITION. 



ence to my remarks and experiments on the specific nutrition of strawberries, contained 

 in the last August number of the Horticulturist, will disclose further collateral evidence 

 of the caprices of plants in imbibing nutrition at proportional variance with their analy- 

 ses. These discrepancies from the general rule, and the desire to awaken inquiry and ex- 

 periment to the highest degree, in order to mature the finest fruit, have rendered me a lit- 

 tle presumptuous, perhaps, in suggesting another rule of specific nutrition: 



That some fruits — whatever the organic or inorganic analysis of the plant, or of the 

 fruit, may disclose and seem to require — possess one or more special constituents, each 

 one of ivhichis demanded as an increased, correspondent, and specific nutrition, that bears 

 no proportion to that of the exact analysis. 



It will be more satisfactory, in the consideration of this theme, to pursue the investiga- 

 tion in as radical and scientific form as possible, which will be best obtained by a survey 

 of the few exact organic and inorganic analyses which have been so far afforded. 



Inorganic analysis. — I am indebted to Mr. George Ronalds for the following analysis 

 of the strawberry, made by Thomas Richardson, of England, quoted from page 318 of 

 the " Annual Report of the Progress of Chemistry and the allied sciences, 1847-48." 



Fruit. Plant, 



Potassa, 21.07 38.65 



Soda, 27.01 9.27 



Lime, 14.21 12.20 



Magnesia, trace 5.85 



Sulphuric acid, 3.15 5.89 



Silicic acid, 12.05 2.58 



Phosphoric acid, 8.-59 15.58 



Phosphate of sesqui-oxide of iron, 11.12 8.65 



Chloride of sodium, 2.78 1.23 



100.00 100.00 



Percentage of ash, 0.41 0.39 



In the May number of the Horticulturist may be found the subsequent analysis of the 

 strawberry plant, hy Mr. BiLivs Kirtland, which is thus described. "One hundred 

 and sixteen grains of the ashes were taken, prepared from the leaves and stalks, immedi- 

 ately after they had borne a moderate crop of fruit." 



Silica, 6.117 grains. 



Charcoal and sand, 8.101 " 



Perphospliate of iron, 1 . 515 " 



Lime, 26.519 '• 



Magnesia, 8.908 " 



Sulphuric acid, 1.4G9 " 



Phosphoric acid, 6.970 " 



Chlorine, 708 '•' 



Potash, 33.154 " 



Soda, 2.790 " 



Carbonic acid, ^ 23.008 " 



Organic matter and loss, 1 . 739 " 



116.000 grains. 

 In the two analyses of the plant, the analysts coincide in the proportion of the potash; 

 the discrepancy as to the other constituents is striking. In the analysis of the fruit, by 

 Richardson, the predominance of socZa will excite some surprise, although the potash 



