THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF APPLES AND CIDER. 



I.-THE COMPOSITION OF APPLES IN RELATION TO CIDER AND 

 VINEGAR PRODUCTION. 



By WM. B. ALWCOD and R. J. DAVIDSON. 



INTRODUCTION. 



As special work on the study of orchard problems and orchard prod- 

 ucts has progressed, the fact has become more and more patent that 

 for all but the most temporary results we must turn our attention 

 more to a thorough study of elemental principles. Thus in regard to 

 the subject in hand, the study more particularly of the fruit of the 

 apple, it appears that without a careful and comprehensive examina- 

 tion of the composition of the varieties of this fruit safe conclusions 

 on many important points which govern the future of varietal selection 

 and breeding for special purposes can not be reached. 



A complete study of the composition of the apple fruit would 

 include the determination of other data than those derived solely from 

 a chemical analysis, but a study of the physical characteristics of varie- 

 ties has not yet been undertaken with any accuracy. This is, how- 

 ever, planned for the future, when the condition of the work and the 

 equipment will permit. That these studies will contribute data for 

 the guidance of students of varieties there is ev&ry reason to believe, 

 but this will only be true when they have been brought to such tech- 

 nical perfection that the elemental data presented can be relied upon 

 for the making of safe deductions. Owing to the short period of 

 time covered and the local character of the work, very few deductions 

 are attempted in this paper. Chemistry and physics must be brought 

 more fully to bear upon the problems of pomology, and thus aid in 

 determining those factors which should guide us in the breeding and 

 selection of varieties for special climatic and soil conditions. When 



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