8 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF APPLES AND CIDER. 



all the factors of the problem are properly determined, who can say 

 that the horticulturist shall not, within a reasonable time, breed apples 

 that are more resistant to frost and to disease ? 



As a continuation of the work begun in 1901, a during 1903 a further 

 investigation was made upon the composition of the more important 

 varieties of apples fruiting in the experiment station orchards at 

 Blacksburg, Va., in that year. This investigation includes the con- 

 sideration of the quantity of juice which was secured from a given 

 weight of each kind or variety of apple, and also a chemical analysis 

 of both juice and pomace, so as to obtain accurate data as to the 

 quality of the varieties and their relative value when used for the 

 manufacture of various secondary products. 



PREPARATION OF THE SAMPLES. 



The station orchards have been described and the character and 

 growth of the varieties sufficiently noted in bulletins Nos. 128 and 

 130 of the Virginia Station to render further descriptive matter under 

 these heads unnecessary. 



The samples of fruit for the technical examination were selected 

 from the trees when fully mature and placed in ordinary 10-pound 

 grape baskets. Care was taken to select representative samples as to 

 variations in size and to select fruit from all parts of each tree. These 

 samples were labeled as picked and placed in a cool room, or, if nec- 

 essary to hold them for analysis, they were placed in cold storage. 

 As far as could be determined with such a range of varieties, each 

 one was ground when in the best condition to yield the maximum 

 amount of juice, but in the case of a few varieties the fruit was held 

 until decidedly overripe and mealy, and because of this fact the juice 

 percentage is low in these varieties, which are indicated in Table I. 



The sample actually pulped was selected from the specimens in the 

 basket with a view to representing fairly the individual character- 

 istics of the fruit. Only apples free from speck or injury were used, 

 and the stems were left on. The fruits were pulped in a machine 

 which consists of a circular rotating basin, in which the sample is 

 placed, the pulping or chopping being accomplished by a geared device 

 which operates a walking beam carding a knife at one end, set so as 

 to strike squarely on the wooden bottom of the vessel containing the 

 fruit. When the crank is turned this machine chops or pulps the 

 fruit very finely in the circular vessel as it rotates by a ratchet motion 

 beneath the knife. ' While this operation is slow, it gives good results. 

 The vessel carrying the fruit can be detached and the sample recov- 



a U. 8. Dept. of Agr., Bureau of Chemistry, Bui. No. 71: A Study of Cider Making. 



