Editor s Letto'-Box. 127 



The President Wilder Strawberry. — The plants I received in fall of 

 '69 I lost by over-nursing, although they were good plants. In the spring of 

 '70, I purchased one dozen plants of Mr. Merrick, receiving thirteen, which, 

 with the two I received from you, I set in a row in a bed about twenty-five feet 

 in length, in the garden, giving them good attention during the season. They 

 grew finely, standing the drought and very warm weather of last summer well 

 without water. By estimation, I think I have nearly one thousand plants from 

 them ; so you see they threw out runners quite freely, though I think they will 

 not do so ordinarily, so much so as to be objectionable, as is the case with some 

 varieties. 



A little later in the season I received another lot from you, and being busy at 

 the time, I hurriedly set them in pots, in which they remained for some time, not 

 receiving much attention, when they were removed to a field in which other 

 kinds were growing. These, also, for the chance they had. did very well. 



Columbus, N. J., Feb. 22. YourS, &C., A. M. IV. 



A. K., Foxboro', Mass. — The best microscope for studying fungi, is that 

 known as the Boston Microscopic Society's " Student's pattern." The cost is 

 about sixty dollars. 



Mr. Editor: On the i6th of this month I made my 99th pressing of cider. 

 The apples had lain frozen in the mill three weeks. The cider appeared thick, 

 and very sweet to the taste. I eagerly applied my saccharometer to test the 

 saccharine matter contained in it, thinking if my palate was not at fault, the cider 

 must certainly indicate from eighteen to twenty by that instrument. 



Lo, and behold, it sunk to ten ! indicating saccharine matter only for a basis 

 of about five per cent, of alcohol, — an amount too low to pass the cider through 

 its first workings without danger of being converted into acetic acid, or cider 

 vinegar. 



Now two questions occur to my mind. Did the freezing of those apples take 

 out the saccharine matter, or was it owing to the season of the year ? 



I shall make another pressing soon, of apples that have not been frozen, and 

 will report to you the indications of the saccharometer. Doubtless you, in your 

 extensive reading, may know or have learned the cause of the deficiency that I 

 have found. 5^. S. JV. 



We.st Pe,\body, M.\ss., Jan. 22, 1S71. 



[We know that horticultural editors are expected to know everything ; but they 

 don't always. We are unable to explain this deficiency in saccharine matter, 

 except on the theory that the freezing which destroyed a part of it, destroyed a 

 still larger part of the acid, leaving the remainder more prominent to the taste, 

 though why this should be so, we cannot tell. The taste is not always a guide 

 to the quantity of sugar in a fruit. Mr. Underbill remarks, in our last volume, 

 p. 149, that the Scuppernong grape has an insipid sweetness, occasioned by a 

 lack of the proper elements of acidity, while the seemingly sour Clinton has 

 vastly more sugar than many of our most popular grapes. We hope that if any 

 of our readers can throw any light on the subject, they will let us hear from them. 

 — Ed.] 



