ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 183 
that it is the variety that contains the most malic acid, and the wine made 
‘from it has certainly developed more bouquet than any California made wine 
of the same age I have yet tasted, thus supporting the views I then advanced 
as to the influence of malic acid in developing the aroma of wine. It would 
seem that the vinicultural mind is at last waking up to the value of malic 
acid in wine-making, as a comparison of the prices paid for the different 
varieties of grape, with the data furnished by my analyses, will show: 
Malic acid Price in Napa Val- 
per cent. ley per ton. 
Zinfindel...... Laon, wale ots clerets Pere ate walacs 0.60 $23.00 
FRGISSIUTIOM Sto slecreiise's ee Ane ee valeieved, Slelateler esses 0.57 18.00 
INMGSI ORIEN): farteiverecls sacel ee ac Aerts. é 0.11 10.00 
Some sixteen years ago I endeavored to call the attention of our vine-growers 
to the necessity of propagating the more acid varieties of grape; but until 
within the last three or four years the greater part of our vineyards have been 
planted with the old Mission grape, undoubtedly the worst wine grape that 
can be selected. 
Reavrar Mrerine, Ocroper 18rx, 1875. 
Second Vice-President in the Chair. 
Thirty-five members present. 
Donations to the Museum: Three boxes of recent Sea water 
Shells, from R. H. Stretch. Photographs of relics from mounds, 
by Mr. Putnam. Mr. S. Jennings, through Dr. Gibbons, pre- 
sented a pearl taken from a shell found at the Navigator 
Islands; also the shells. J. F. Jerome presented specimens cf 
the Candle Nut from what the Sandwich Islanders call the 
‘*Ku Kui” tree. Black Marble from Alaska, from J. Daniels. 
Minerals and Fungus, from J. F. Jerome; also specimen of Holo- 
thuria used as food by the Chinese, shark’s fins from China, Or- 
chilla from Lower California. R.H. Sinton presented specimens 
of Copper ore. OC. C. Parry donated specimen of mountain ma- 
hogany. Dr. A. Kellogg presented Trout from Inyo County, 
and seventeen specimens of Lichens. James Behrens presented 
specimens of radiated pyrites from Prussia. 
