Management of Orchards. 



31 



cultivation of apples of a large size, there would be a good sale 

 for them to go to the manufacturing districts. In the neighbour- 

 hood of Gloucester and Worcester, many farmers make a large 

 profit by the sale of fruit, some years getting 55. to G.v. per pot 

 for them. When apples are abundant they are sometimes pur- 

 chased for use as a dyeing material ; but the demand is not large 

 or important. 



The following analyses show the composition of apples and 

 pears : — 



Apples according to Berard. 

 Water 86-28 



Sugar . . 



Ligneous luatter 



Gum 



Malic acid 



Albumen 



Chlorophylc .. 



Lime 



0-45 

 3-80 

 3-17 

 •11 

 •08 

 •08 

 •03 



Tears according to Berard, 

 Water 8G^25 



Sugar 



Vegetable fibre 



Gum 



Malic acid 



Albumen 



Chloropliyle .. 



Lime 



G-45 

 3^80 

 3^17 

 •14 

 •08 

 •08 

 •03 



Apples contain 0'27 per cent, of ash, and pears 0'41, the com- 

 position of which, according to Richardson, is as follows : — 



Apples. 



Potash 35-68 



Soda 26-09 



Lime 4-08 



Magnesia 8-75 



Sulphuric acid 6-09 



Silicic acid 4*32 



Phosphoric acid 12'34 



Phosphate of sesquioxide of 



iron 2-65 



100-00 



Pears. 



Potash 54-69 



Soda 8-69 



Lime 7-98 



Magnesia 5-22 



Sulphuric acid 5-69 



Silicic acid 1*49 



Phosphoric acid 14-28 



Phosphate of sesquioxide of 



iron 1-96 



Chloride of sodium . . . . trace 



100-00 



An examination of these analyses suggests an explanation of 

 a variety of facts well known amongst practical men. Thus, 

 pears contain more lime and potash, but less silica and soda 

 than is found in apples ; hence pears are better adapted to some 

 situations, and apples to others. Some pear-trees bear a ton 

 every year ; and in a ton of pears there would be upwards of 

 4^ lbs. of potash : thirty such crops would remove jnore than 

 1 cwt. of potash from the soil traversed by the roots of the tree ; 

 hence it is not desirable to plant pear-trees in land deficient in 

 potash. Apples contain a less quantity of potash, but three 

 times as much silicic acid, and also more magnesia ; and thus 

 we see one reason why we sometimes find one fruit flourish so 

 much better than the other. 



